Love is Unexplainable
by magic-reeni
Summary: REPOSTED AND REWRITTEN! Yugi and Yami are twins who are separated after being a week old. Meeting up in high school and with no knowledge of the family ties, they fall in love. What happens when their parents find out who Yugi really is?
1. Taken Away

First off, yes I know week old babies can't do anything but cry, eat, and wet their diaper but Yugi and Yami are special so I say they can cause it's my story and everything else about the anime is whacked out so I can have a little fun. Besides, the only reason I did it was because I wanted to show how close the twins were even without a lot of time together. However, I did try fixing it so it didn't seem too abnormal.

Second, about the Kentucky accent that somebody complained about, I'm very sorry and had no idea so thank you for telling me. And I've changed the wording as well.

Lastly, I came to the very conclusion last night that all my previous writing sucks so I'm going to fix it and repost it. Just a heads up to those who are interested

A knock echoed through the small rundown apartment house as somebody rapped on the old termite-eaten door. A man in his middle ages hurried over to answer it, looking through the dusty peephole before he unlocked the door, not that it did much for protection anyway with rust covering most of it. A small smile spread on his face as he heard his newborns start crying and he once more went through the loving memories of their birth only a week earlier; he loved being a father already.

He looked at who stood in front of their door and his smile quickly replaced into a frown.

"Mr. Jikiro, I presume," the officer asked as he removed his hat, black and grey hair ruffled from the action.

Mr. Jikiro nodded and looked past the officer to see an important looking social worker standing behind him Her concerned looking expression as she looked around the inside of the apartment from where she stood did little to encourage him of the surprise visit. "Can I help you?"

"Yes," the officer replied, "I hope so anyway. It's come to our attention from your neighbor just down the hall – "

"Mrs. Peterson," Mr. Jikiro interrupted questionably.

He nodded, "Yes, I believe that was her name. Anyways, she recently reported that you and your wife just had twins about week ago, is that correct?"

The man quickly went to defensive mode at the mention of his two newborns and nosy neighbor in the same sentence. He even closed the door slightly so the social worker would stop looking around inside it every other second. "That's right; what of them," he snapped agitatedly.

"She told us that you were a… an underprivileged family and could do little to support yourself and your wife. It was in her best interests that we came over to check over your apartment as well as on your children. To make sure everything is in order." He paused, looking as if he didn't want to continue. "If it's needed of course we might have to take them and put them up for adoption to a more suitable family."

His eyes widened and his mouth parted slightly, drying out as though he was eating cotton. "No! You can't. I love my sons! You can't take them away from me and my wife," Mr. Jikiro shouted in anguish. "I've been working extremely hard at my new job. I've had it for a few months now to help support us. All I need is a little time and I'll be able to support them easily."

The social worker finally stepped forward to make herself noticed. She was a stuffy looking lady wearing a grey suit that looked a couple sizes too small. A clipboard cradled in one arm with a pen in an overly-manicured hand that looked too eager to be healthy "It isn't just the finances, Mr. Jikiro; living conditions and the children's health are also in question. Even when you do get a… suitable paycheck to do anything with most of it's going to have to go for hospital coverage from when your wife gave birth. We've already checked up on it and it's going to take a long time, maybe years, to even pay for half of it from what we've seen of your budget so far." The smug expression on her face gave away that she was just itching to make someone's life miserable.

Mr. Jikiro swallowed harshly and tried not to show how frightened he was. _Nothing good can come from this… _

"This isn't fair," the man cried out, proud that his voice hadn't cracked.

"Honey," a woman called from behind a crooked door off to the side. "What's wrong? You sound upset. Who's at the door?"

Mr. Jikiro opened the door and allowed for his wife to see for herself. He explained to her what they told him and she gasped, her hands rushing to cover her mouth in surprise. "What about our children, sir? We don't want them to go to some stranger's house and then never find out about us. We love them so much already. Please don't make us give them up. Just give us some time," she pleaded with tears stinging at her eyes.

"May we see the children," the officer asked, trying to ignore Mrs. Jikiro's cries so it wouldn't make his job harder than it already was.

The man wanted to resist and throw the man away from his door, but he had neither the strength nor the nerve. He feared the possibility of his children being taken away would increase if he tried something like that. Instead, he nodded and wrapped an arm around his wife in comfort. He led them into the next and only other room to the small apartment where two baby boys lay sleeping comfortable together, wrapped up in old and tattered clothing.

The social worker gasped and knelt next to the twins, unwrapping them from the deep-rooted garments. "These children are barely being fed properly," she said more to the officer than addressing the parents.

The officer's eyes closed in his discomfort of what had to come next. He shifted and ground out forlornly, "Mr. and Mrs. Jikiro, I'm sorry, but I'll have to take them to the adoption agency. These children can't be properly cared for in these conditions. It'll be miracle enough if they aren't already sick from this apartment with how much filth is in the air."

Mrs. Jikiro burst into tears and held onto her husband tightly, sobbing into his shoulder and clutching his shirt tightly.

"Please, please, isn't there anything you can do to help us keep them? Please we'll do anything! I can't lose my family," Mr. Jikiro cried desperately to the two visitors.

The officer looked thoughtful for a moment before hope flared in his eyes. "There just might be a way; mind you, it'll very difficult to pull off."

"I'll do anything to keep my children, please!"

He nodded and glared at the social worker pointedly.

The woman huffed and pulled out a cell phone from inside her jacket, pushing the number one and holding it to her ear. "Joyce, it's May," she huffed into the expensive device. "I'm at the Jikiro's residence right now checking up their living conditions for the newborns; it doesn't look good, but they're desperate to keep these children and you know I… hate this part of my job. Can you set me up for an appointment with the judge for some kind of alternative?" She listened for a minute before a wry smile spread on her face. "Thanks, Joyce. It'll make a lot of things easier too." She paused again. "Alright, thanks again. Bye." She pushed the off button and put the phone away.

"We'll have to take the twins into our custody just until tomorrow. If you can prove to the judge you can take care of these kids without any problems then you can keep them and maybe get some help on the way as well. If not then I'm afraid there's nothing more for us to do to help you," she explained in a bored tone.

Just then a ring of some kind of jazz music echoed throughout the bare apartment and May quickly hurried to answer her phone. "May here." She paused. "That's good, thanks, Joyce. Bye." She hung up once more.

"I'll be around at noon tomorrow to pick you so I can bring you to the courthouse. Bring anything that'll help you keep the twins because you'll definitely be needing it." She smirked and watched as each of them nodded. Kneeling beside the slumbering twins once more, she picked one up in each arm, handing one to the officer when she stood.

Mrs. Jikiro went over to a wooden crate stashed in the corner of the barren room and pulled out two blankets that looked to be only half finished being made. "I was making these so they would be warmer at night. I'm not quite done with them yet but they'll hold for the time being. I don't want them to catch cold with this weather outside."

May nodded and snatched one of the blankets offered, wrapping it around the boy she was holding. The officer did the same to the child in his arms.

More tears leaked into Mrs. Jikiro's eyes, but she quickly wiped them away and stepped forward to kiss her son in the officer's arms. "I love you, Yami. Take care of your little brother." She hurried back over to the social worker and kissed her other son. "You too, Yugi. We'll get you back so don't you worry."

After a small goodbye from Mr. Jikiro the officer and the social worker left the rugged apartment.

Tears flooded both of the distressed parents' eyes that night.

The next day at noon, Mr. and Mrs. Jikiro could find themselves riding in the back seat of a business car with the social worker from the day before, May Wilson, to the courthouse to try and fight for the custody of their children. They were scared and nervous out of their minds and only seemed to worsen every time Ms. Wilson tried to comfort them into telling them everything would be all right, though the superior tone she was speaking in really did nothing to help much.

"We're here," Ms. Wilson announced as she parked in a space a short ways from the stairs leading to the door. She said nothing else as she stepped out of the car in a vibrant red business suit and clicked her red high heels up the stairs, not looking back to see if she was being followed.

The two adults in the back of the car quickly followed her though. They dressed in their best clothes they could find to make a good impression. Mrs. Jikiro had wanted to go find something better at the store, but they both knew with the short budget they already had it couldn't be done. The nervous man fidgeted with his blue collared shirt and pale brown jacket as he walked up the steps slowly. His wife wearing a pale yellow dress beside him wasn't fairing any better as she clasped her husband's arm.

The social worker led them inside and through a pair of doors off the side leading into a hall. They walked a few more doors down until they came to the last door where she knocked at it lightly, somehow still having an air of importance from such a simple gesture.

"Come in," a southern accent called to them from beyond the large, oak door.

Opening the doors, Ms. Wilson allowed the Jikiros in first before following after them. It was a small office with a mahogany desk in the middle and a few files and plants were placed around the room making it look even smaller and cramped than it already was.

May smiled stiffly and walked the short distance to the desk. "Hello, Mrs. Milstiff. I had an appointment with the judge today; Joyce Kasey said she made one with you. It's about the Jikiro twins' custody for the parents."

A small smile spread on the lady's face and she nodded. "That's correct. You're always the one coming in once in a while to help the parents if you think they should be able to keep them." She replied, her accent obvious the people in the room.

"What can I say? I really do hate that part of my job." She rolled her eyes, not adding that the officers she ended up going with always gave her the 'look' to make the call.

"Not many do. I'm just glad we've got people like you with a big heart enough to have some guts to do something about it," the kind woman replied, completely oblivious to the tone May was using. "I'll go tell Judge William that you're here. It should only be a minute." She stood and walked to the double doors behind her, knocking on it lightly before creaking it open and peeking her head in for a second. "He'll see you now." She told them cheerfully after she pulled her head back out, opening the door for them to walk through.

"Ah, May Wilson. I should've known it would be you dealing with this case. Barely anyone else comes in here on such a call." Judge William joked.

"Thank you, your honor," May wryly grinned. "This is Mr. and Mrs. Jikiro, sir; the twins' parents."

"Of course; do come in. It looks like you've brought a few things as well." The judge gestured to the seats in front of his desk with a warm look on his face.

"Yes, your honor, we did." Mr. Jikiro agreed. "We'll do anything to keep our children. We love them so much already."

"As I've heard from previous parents who came before you. Show me what you've brought then." He said in a soft voice.

Mr. Jikiro handed a file to the judge containing his working status along with the paycheck he's receiving every month, a few pictures of the family, along with records of anything else he could find that might be able to help them.

"I see why your neighbor was calling in now. Your apartment isn't exactly…children material."

"We know, your honor. If we just had a little time we'd be able to fix it up with a few of my paychecks."

"And what of your hospital finances? How will you able to do that and fix your home up?"

Mr. Jikiro looked nervous and looked back at his wife still standing by the door. He turned back to the judge with a sigh. "We don't know, your honor. We'll do anything to keep our children though. Isn't there someway we'll be able to keep them?"

Judge William smiled and removed his glasses to rub his eyes. "There is one alternative to allow you to keep one child but the other will go to an adoption agency to be put into a better home. However," he added when he saw the couple look worried about one of their twins being separated from them, "if you are able to get everything orderly within the time space of a year then the court will allow you to retrieve your child back into your own custody and the parents who have your one son will be notified of this when they adopt him."

"A year," Mr. Jikiro asked with despair. "Sir, it's a new job. I don't think I'll be able to work my way up to a suitable paycheck within that short time, " he stated anxiously. "Isn't there some way you can get me longer than that?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Jikiro, but that's all we can do. You will, however, be able to have the parents' phone number in case you'd like to talk to him or see him. It won't be like a permanent separation, Mr. Jikiro; you're not restricted from him in any way, your custody of the one son will just be taken away unless you can get your priorities in order within a year."

"And what will happen with my other son? What'll happen with the one we'll be able to keep?"

"You will be allowed to keep him as long as you can support him."

"We'll do that then," Mrs. Jikiro finally spoke up. "If this is the only way we'll be able to keep at least one child and with hopes of getting the other back then we'll do it."

Mr. Jikiro bit his lip, thinking about, but he nodded. "Yes, we'll do anything it takes to keep them and if this is the only way then we'll do it," he agreed.

"Do we decide which one will stay with us?" Mrs. Jikiro asked sadly, half hoping the answer was no so they wouldn't have to pick.

"I'm afraid not, Mrs. Jikiro. When more than one child is involved you won't be able to and it's always the oldest child that stays with the original parents and the rest will go off to the adoption agency."

"Yugi? But he already depends so much on his brother." Mrs. Jikiro cried. "He's so small too; he might be scared if he's told and then he won't want to meet us."

The judge looked curious about this statement. "Mrs. Jikiro, the boys are only a week old and only minutes apart from each other." He told her, looking at the twins' birth certificates. "I'm very interested as to how you'll be able to tell what they'll act like when they are older."

"Please, sir, just call it a mother's intuition. I can tell when I look in their eyes and I just know."

"Even with that, Mrs. Jikiro, there is nothing I'll be able to do. If you wish, if you aren't able to gain the custody of, Yugi was it?" The couple nodded. "Yugi, then. If you aren't able to gain custody of Yugi we'll tell the parents not to tell him and you will be able to gain that privilege."

Mr. Jikiro went over to comfort his wife, who had too many tears to be able to respond. "We'll have it that way then. We'd rather tell our own child what we weren't able to accomplish rather than someone else. Besides, we wouldn't be able to face him if we knew he'd been told by someone else."

"Very well, then." The judge agreed. He wrote something down on a few papers and then turned to Ms. Wilson, who'd been silent throughout the whole meeting. "Ms. Wilson, take Mr. and Mrs. Jikiro to retrieve their other son and to say goodbye to Yugi."

"Of course, your honor. I would've allowed them to say goodbye to that poor boy either way," she added with a bit of condescending in it.

The judge smiled and nodded a goodbye. "Good luck to you both."

Mr. Jikiro gathered his things back up and followed his wife and May out of the room.

"Your twins were kept at my house for the night with my sister, Kira. She's watching them right now," she informed them, clicking her heals loudly down the marble floor.

She drove them over to her house, the whole ride in silence, a few miles away and she led them in.

"Kira," She called loudly.

"In here, May," a voice called from in the living room. "These two are just adorable together!"

May led the parents into her living room and a soft smile spread on her face as she saw the two boys sleeping happily with a rattle that they shared between them.

"Kira, this is Mr. and Mrs. Jikiro, the twins' parents."

"Your children are such angels," she squealed excitedly. "They've done nothing but sleep and they only cried a few times, but that's when they needed a few things like a diaper change or food. You certainly are lucky. I wish my children would be as good as yours."

"Thank you," Mrs. Jikiro whispered softly, kneeling next the blanket her sons were resting on. Her eyes were filled with love and sadness as she looked at Yugi, tears slowly building in her eyes. Shaky fingers pet his soft, velvet cheek.

"They've come to pick up Yami. Yugi will be going to the adoption agency."

"Oh, I hate it when they do this to parents with more than one child. It isn't fair to either of them."

"I know, Kira," May replied, knowing her sister was soft about such things.

At that moment the two boys' eyes slowly opened. They looked at her with big eyes for a second and more tears fell down their mother's cheeks. Carefully, she picked up her youngest and held him tightly, not wanting to ever let him go.

Kira held onto the mother's shoulders and led her over to the couch. "Take as long as you want, Mrs. Jikiro." She told her when she sat down. "I'm sure my sister wouldn't mind."

Mr. Jikiro went to sit on the couch too, picking up Yami along the way. He held his sons tightly to his chest tears also welling up in his eyes.

Yugi stared and wiggled his fingers and toes at the attention. His coos subsided though when a curious noise reached his ears and he looked interested in finding it. He found it when he glanced to look at his mother and saw tears streaming down her face. Tears shone in his own eyes and he held whined , who quickly gathered him and held him tightly.

Kira turned to her sister and sighed. "That one is definitely going to be a sensitive one. He's so sweet and he can already tell when somebody needs a hug for comfort," she gave a wet smile to her own sibling.

"Just like his mother said back at the courthouse when Judge William told her Yugi would be the one going to the adoption agency," May said quietly in awe.

"Poor little guy. If I could I would adopt him for myself if only to let him be closer to his brother. But I already have more children than I can handle." She gave an apologetic look to said boy's parents.

"As would I, Kira. But I can't because of my job," she forced through her teeth. "If only somebody else had had this case than I would be able to." Her voice gave way that she would rather have nothing to do with the children, let alone have them living with her, but nobody in the room seemed to notice.

It seemed like hours before Mrs. Jikiro finally looked up at May and Kira. "I'm afraid that if I stay any longer I won't be able to leave it all. Sorry if we took so long."

"Don't worry about it at all, Mrs. Jikiro. And I swear to you right now I won't allow anybody to adopt Yugi who I don't see as more than perfect for him," Kira announced strongly.

"Thank you, Mrs. Wilson. That helps a lot." She turned to pick up Yami and bundled him up tightly in the crimson-red blanket that she'd made for him. Mr. Jikiro stood with a slumbering Yugi in his arms and bundled him up the identical blanket, only a violet color, made for him as well.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to take Yugi to the adoption agency with you in the car though. I'm very sorry, but it is policy not to allow it," Ms. Wilson told them importantly.

"We understand," Mrs. Jikiro told her. "Are you able to take us to our apartment with him?"

She seemed to want to argue, but swallowed it when her sister stepped up next to her and answered in her stead, "Now that she can definitely do." Her sister smiled and led them out to the car.

The drive to the Jikiro's apartment was quiet except for the sound of the cooing twins who were playing a disorderly game of wiggling their toes back and forth.

Arriving at the apartment was even more awkward than the drive there. Eventually though the Jikiros did get out of the car with Yami in his mother's arms. Seeming to know what was going on though the boy started crying loudly.

Upon hearing his brother, Yugi's eyes shone brightly with hot tears and cried out as well.

The car started and Ms. Wilson waved an absent goodbye before driving out of the parking lot and out of sight.

Yami watched as his brother was taken away and his small tears slowly stopped, but continued to leak from his eyes and splashed silently onto the ground.


	2. New Friends

The year given to the Jikiros came and went much too quickly for their liking for they were unable to meet their needed requirements for the return of their the youngest son. Many tears were shed over the loss of their youngest son and they felt so ashamed of themselves they couldn't bring themselves to ever go see their little Yugi or tell Yami of his own twin brother. They could only hope they would be able to keep living with themselves the longer they went on hiding the truth. Luckily though they were able to prove themselves capable and met their requirements for keeping the eldest of their twins.

Years past on and guilt grew, but before anybody really realized it birthday candles were being lit with fifteen candles on white icing.

Yami took in a deep breath and blew all the candles out together, allowing his mother to pet his hair affectionately even when he continuously told her how much he hated it. He could make an exception on his birthday.

"Well done, Yami. I hope you remembered to make a wish," she told him as she started to cut a slice of the cake with chocolate covered strawberries on top. She gave the first piece to her son.

"Yeah," Yami grumbled, remembering his wish with a slight smirk. "I did. I wished that I didn't have to go to a different school where I'll know absolutely nobody at all."

His mother frowned. "Don't worry, Yami. Everybody will be very nice, you'll see. Besides, you should be happy. We finally have enough of our expenses covered that we could move out of that filthy apartment we were living in and into a beautiful home of our own."

"Our apartment wasn't filthy," the red-eyed teen argued. "I've lived there my whole life and I liked it."

His parents didn't argue either. The truth was that they actually moved out of the apartment at the first chance given to them because they blamed their neighbor, Mrs. Johnson, for the loss of their youngest. After their time limit of a year had ended they cut all contacts with the women who used to be their dearest friend and just couldn't find it in themselves to try and forgive her. Although, they also blamed themselves for being unable to prove capable of taking care of the younger twin.

"Well, maybe you'll be able to meet a nice boy at this school. You were always complaining about your other school and how all the boys there weren't anything close to what type you were looking for."

Yami blushed and looked away from his mother to hide his embarrassment. He only grumbled out an incoherent reply and continued to stare at one of the walls.

Trying to lighten the mood, Mrs. Jikiro smiled and started talking about letting Yami open his gifts after they finished with the cake.

Just as promised they sat in their new living room, moving boxes piled around the perimeter of the room, with presents in a small pile in front of the couch. Yami sat on the beige furniture and took the small box his father handed to him.

It went on like that for a few minutes until they reached the last present. It was a movie he'd been wanting for the longest time: My Little Home. It was an interesting story about a family who stuck together no matter what and, even though it had a sad ending with the kids dying from a deadly disease, Yami loved it and wished he could have a family. He tried to tell himself over the years that he did have a family, but it wouldn't desert his mind that something was missing.

He stood from the couch and headed for the hall leading to his new bedroom, stopping just before turning the corner. "Mom, dad, you want to know what I really should've wished for?"

"What's that, sweetie," His mother asked worriedly, afraid her son hadn't had a nice birthday.

"I should've wished for a sister or a brother. Then I wouldn't feel so alone. No matter how I try I can't help to think that something's missing. By the way, thank you for the gifts. I love all of them," he started down the hall, carrying his new things.

When he was out of sight and the sound of Yami's door closing was heard, Mrs. Jikiro looked at her husband with a pained expression. "He doesn't even know about Yugi and he still feels something missing. I wish we could've gotten him back," She cried into his chest. It might've been fifteen years since they last saw their youngest, but the pain of losing him never lessened and always grew.

"Me too, sweetheart, me too." He held her closely, holding back his own tears while trying to be strong for his wife.

"Happy birthday, my sweet little Yugi. I wish we could be wherever you are right now to celebrate with you," Mrs. Jikiro wept.

"Blow out the candles and make a wish, Yugi," Solomon Mouto laughed joyously.

Yugi nodded and took a big breath, thinking of a good wish. However, when he blew he missed a few candles and tried again. "That's not fair!" He cried. "They're trick candles, grandpa. I told you I don't like these!"

Solomon could only laugh at his grandson's adorable pouting face and motioned for him to keep trying. Finally, after five more tries, Yugi got his trick candles extinguished and he waited impatiently as his grandfather cut his chocolate covered strawberry with white icing cake; his favorite.

"Do I get to open my presents when we're done, grandpa," he asked eagerly.

"Whenever you want, my grandson."

"Yes," he laughed happily. He looked over his shoulder at his father and mother's wedding picture behind him and a small smile came over his face. "It's like they'll always be looking over me now, now that they're in heaven. Right, grandpa?"

"That's right, Yugi. I'm sorry it had to be so close to your birthday though."

"It's okay, I guess," he stated sadly. "It couldn't really be helped." He closed his eyes to think over what he'd been told at the hospital. His mother had been terribly sick and his father had caught it from hanging around her so much when she was most contagious. He missed them awfully, but he also knew that the doctors had tried all they could to save them but in the end their souls were lifted to the stars. "It was just their time to go."

Just then the phone rang and Yugi ran over to answer it, thinking it was one of his friends calling to wish him happy birthday.

"Hello," he called energetically into the phone.

"Hello, is Yugi Mouto there," a deep voice asked. "This is his principal, Dai-Ichi."

"Yes, this is he. Can I help you, Dai-Ichi Sensei?"

"Yes, you signed up to help new students around the school, correct."

"That's right; the beginning of last year. Do you need me?"

"A student in your grade is transferring to our school and you seem like the perfect person to be able to show him around."

"That's great. I'd be happy to show them around," Yugi answered excitedly.

"Perfect, thank you, Yugi. Come to my office on Monday morning then."

"Of course. Thank you very much."

"Goodbye," the phone clicked.

Yugi hung up the phone and hurried back to his grandpa. "A new student is coming to our school and I'm going to show him around on Monday."

"That's good, Yugi," Solomon smiled at his grandson. "Maybe you'll become good friends. You could even introduce them to your own friends too, make them feel welcome."

"That's an awesome idea, grandpa." He turned and headed for the stairs before he froze in place. "I forgot about my presents!" Yugi ran towards the living room and called impatiently for his grandpa so he could start opening them.

Solomon could only laugh at Yugi's innocent and childlike nature as he made his way into the living room.

Yugi walked up to the school, excited about meeting the new student and seeing what they're like. He was so caught up in his thoughts of what the person would look like though that he didn't notice when he walked straight into someone else.

"Watch it, punk," a husky voice growled as Yugi fell on the ground and straight onto his bottom. His backpack dumped on the ground and his notebooks scattered.

"Sorry about that. I was caught up in something and I – Seru," Yugi gasped as he saw whom he'd run into. "I'm so sorry. It's my fault. I shouldn't have gotten in your way!" He panicked as he tried to back up while casually gathering his stuff at the same time.

Seru, the meanest school bully you could ever run into in your entire life sneered down at little Yugi with complete and utter disgust. "Yugi Motou, what an unpleasant surprise. I should thank you for saving me the trouble of coming to look for you. I told you I would pay you back for the suspension you gave me," he growled.

"I had no doubt you would forget, Seru, but, please, I really must be…"

With no attention of hearing his pleas, Seru kicked Yugi into the ground and he and his gang of tasteless brutes laughed as he rolled right in a wall. "You're just running into everything today aren't you, shrimp," he laughed, causing his cronies to also erupt in cruel chuckles behind him.

The bully leader walked over and picked Yugi up by the scruff of his shirt. "You should really pay attention to what you're doing," Seru scoffed. The bully tossed Yugi onto the ground once more and kicked him so hard he rolled a few feet until he stopped at a pair of laced up boots.

"What's going on here," a deep voice asked

This voice washed gently over Yugi as he lay at whoever spoke's feet. He didn't know why, but this voice seemed to calm him greatly and he wallowed in it, hoping with all his being this person would never stop talking. The aura and scent also coming off the person seemed so familiar to Yugi, a complete opposite to what people said about him, and yet so completely attracting to his very soul.

"How could you beat up such a poor guy," Yami asked as he knelt beside the boy at his feet. "I'll teach you to mess with such innocent people." He dashed forward and rammed headfirst against Seru's stomach, forcing him back.

After the pathetic excuse for a gang had left Yami walked back over to the boy still lying where he had left him and helped him up to his feet. He was surprised at their amazing similarities, but more worried about the boy's own health then their alike appearances. "Are you alright," he asked. "Can you stand on your own?"

The most breathtaking amethyst orbs opened wearily and seemed to sparkle into his own crimson eyes. He was so captured by the intensity of the emotions within those jewel-like eyes he almost didn't take notice of the boy's nod.

"Yes, I'm fine." He took a second to steady himself onto his feet and bowed his head in respect. "Thank you very much," he told him in a quiet voice. "I'm Yugi Motou."

"Don't worry about it," he shook the offered hand. "I used to help people who got in trouble with bullies all the time, but they never said thank you so I stopped. It made me feel like they were so ungrateful towards me for helping them. Oh and by the way, my name's Yami Jikiro."

"It's nice to meet you." Yugi gasped and glanced down at his watch, his eyes widening in horror, "Oh Gods! I'm late!" He turned back to Yami, "I'm very sorry, but I'm late for something. I must go." He started half-running half-limping down the walkway and disappeared into the school.

_Poor guy; he's probably one of those people who don't have any friends, main target for jerks like those beating up on him, and almost always has his nose in a book and not worrying about his grades. A straight "A" student, I'll bet. He sure was cute though. _Yami mused to himself as he picked up his bag and walked into the building. He had no intention of being around when more people would be arriving at the school, especially the girls. He always had the trouble of attracting them even though the feeling was never mutual.

Yugi knocked on the principal's door urgently, praying he wouldn't be angry with him for being so late.

"Come in," a voice called from inside.

"I'm very sorry, Dai-Ichi sensei. I ran into some trouble and I…" Yugi cut off when he didn't see anybody in the principal's office except the principal himself. Worry immediately spread through Yugi's being as the thought of someone else taking his job because he was late.

"Ah, Yugi, I was beginning to worry. I'm afraid the student you are to show around has yet to arrive. Take a seat and we'll wait together. My that's a rather large cut you have on you're cheek. What happened, my boy?"

A hand flew up and Yugi flinched when it stung on his face. Glancing at his hand he saw a small streak of blood on it and sighed. "I ran into some trouble with Seru again, sensei. That's why I'm late too, but thankfully somebody came just in time to stop him."

"Well that's good. Why don't you stop at the nurse's office after your charge comes and get it cleaned up?"

"I will, sir. Thank you," Yugi smiled, nearly jumping when a knock rapped on the door.

"That must be them now." The principal smiled and called, "Come in."

"Sir, I'm the new student. The lady at the front desk said to…" a crimson-eyed teen entered the room and his eyes fell on a familiar set of violet eyes. "Yugi?"

"You know each other," the principal looked back and forth from the two.

"Uh, yes sir." Yugi jumped up and looked at the older man, "He's the one who helped me with Seru. I told you that someone came just in time."

"Ah, yes, so you did. Well then, thank you for taking the time. I'm afraid there aren't many people in the school who would take the time, especially new students."

"Anytime, sir. I was happy to help," Yami bowed politely, but kept his eyes on Yugi.

"Yes well, these are the books you'll be needing." The principal stood and brought a few books onto the desk, "You're allowed to keep them at home, all teachers have their own class sets that students may use any time during school hours. And this is you're schedule. Is everything as you wanted?"

Yami looked over the piece of paper and nodded. "Yes, it is. Thank you, sir." He turned to the slightly shorter teen, "Shall we take a tour, Yugi?"

Amethyst eyes blinked and Yugi nodded. "Sure. If you don't mind though, could we stop at the nurse's so I can get this cleaned out? I was afraid I was very late to this meeting and didn't want to stop there before."

"That's no problem. I wouldn't want it to get infected on my behalf," he chuckled, letting Yugi leave first.

The two boys were walking down the deserted hallway of the school. The dismissal bell had already rung and the students long cleared out from the dreadful Monday school day, but Yami had requested one last walkthrough of the school to learn where everything was once more. Yugi had only been more than happy to help and had called his grandpa with his cell phone to tell him before lending it to Yami so he could call his own parents.

They were walking in silence however, Yami only speaking when he asked where a particular door led and Yugi only speaking to answer said question. Finally, Yami spoke and the question didn't have anything to do with the school. "Doesn't it freak you out?"

Yugi looked at the slightly taller one curiously. "About what," he finally asked.

"How much the two of us look alike? Save for our eye color, height, and my own more blonde locks we could pass as identical twins. You have to admit that they aren't big differences at all," the crimson eyed teen pointed out.

"I don't know," Yugi answered after a moment of silence. "I didn't really pay attention to it all day I suppose. Now that you brought it up though I guess we do have many things in common."

Somehow knowing the topic was making Yugi a bit uncomfortable, he chanced the subject of the conversation. "So your grandpa lives with your parents?"

"No." Yugi answered quietly. "My parents died of a terrible disease. The doctors tried everything they could to save them but in the end they didn't make it. I moved in with my grandpa. He owns and lives in the game shop just a few blocks from here."

"Cool, you live in a game shop? How does that all work out?"

"Simple really. The shop's on the bottom and then upstairs and on the second half of downstairs is the house."

"That'd be nice to live in a place as unique as that." Then a thought occurred to Yami. "Aren't you afraid you've got the disease that killed your parents too?"

Yugi shook his head and stared at the ground intently. "I'm…I'm adopted actually. I don't know what happened to my real family though; no one would tell me if they did know so I never found out. Just that I'd been with my parents only as a week old."

"A week? Your real parents must not have cared very much for you if they didn't keep you very long," he grumbled, not understanding how someone could not care for the boy in front of him.

The smaller boy glared up at Yami and the older stepped back with unease. That sort of expression didn't suit well for Yugi's personality. "What's wrong," he asked quietly.

"You're wrong, that's what. My parents loved me very much. My mom and dad always told me that. They said when they adopted me that my biological parents couldn't keep me because of some reason I wasn't told and had to give me up. That's what I've been living with and I'm going to find them someday!"

Yami held up his hands in surrender. "Okay, I'm sorry, Yugi. I guess it didn't really sink in much that things as bad as that really happen to people."

"That's okay, Yami. Do you think you have everything okay for tomorrow then or would you like to meet up in the morning and go over everything once more? It's getting kind of late after all," he finished tensely.

"Yeah, that'd be great Yugi." They headed for the exit. "Oh and Yugi," Yami finally spoke up again after the quiet walk to the game shop. "You're friends were really great. Thank you for introducing me and letting me hang with you at lunch."

"No problem, Yami. You're welcome into our group anytime," the reply was said with much more ease and it amazed the slightly older teen how easily he'd been forgiven…or at least how well Yugi seemed to control himself.

Yami nodded and waved goodbye before heading down the street alone. Yugi also waved before heading into the game shop, calling out that he was home.

"I'm back!" Yami called throughout the house.

"How'd everything go, Yami," his mother called from the kitchen.

"Really great, I think I've even got some new friends. They seemed really great when I hung out with them at lunch with my student-helper."

"That's wonderful, dear." Just as she was about to ask the name of his student helper though, the door to Yami's room was heard opening and closing. She shook her head and continued making dinner.

"Teenagers," Mr, Jikiro smirked and kept on reading his book at the kitchen table.


	3. Injuries

The next morning Yugi was walking to school with a jump in his step, excited to meet up with Yami again. A light blush tinted his cheeks as he remembered all the teasing he'd endured the night before from his grandpa after he told him about Yami and how cute he looked.

"Fine, I'll agree to your little bargain on one condition though. I'm telling Yugi and you have to stay away and be nice to him until I do," a deep voice was saying from the courtyard of the school.

Curious, Yugi hurried around to the gate leading into the yard, peeking through the gaps in the iron, and gasped at what he saw. Seru and Yami were there and…

_They're shaking hands? What's going on? _An aching pain clutched at Yugi's heart and he held the neck of his shirt with tightly clenched hands. He didn't want to begin thinking of the different insinuations that the action could've meant.

Yugi saw Seru smile with a grim satisfaction as he nodded to the crimson-eyed teen before motioning to his cronies that they were leaving. Stepping passed the gate, Seru grinned down at Yugi as he passed. "You're in for a surprise, little one," Seru chuckled out over his shoulder.

"Hey, Yugi; I'm glad you're here. I need to tell you something," Yami told the amethyst-eyed teen from the gate.

"Why were you talking to Seru? Even after what happened yesterday," Yugi questioned. Betrayal was evident in his eyes as he backed away slowly from the older teen.

"Yugi, it's not like what it seems. He came to me wanting to ask me something and we came to an agreement," Yami tried explaining, taking a step towards Yugi.

Yugi stepped further away from the teen, shaking his head in denial. "How could you, Yami? You told me you hated people like that and now you're making agreements with him!" Outburst done and emotionally exhausted already, Yugi turned and ran towards the front of the school and didn't look back.

Yami only watched in confusion as the distraught teen disappeared around the corner. _I don't understand. He didn't even let me explain. _A sudden fear overcame Yami and he chased after Yugi. There was nothing to explain the abrupt sensation, but he wasn't about to take any chances and just followed his instincts rather than ask questions about it.

Entering the school he heard a sudden cry of pain. Fear struck through him and Yami ran towards it as fast as he could, running into dozens of other students without apology. Turning a corner he gasped as Yugi's limp form rolled from the stairs and stilled in the middle of the hallway. Students gathered around the boy in concern, all crying for help. Nobody was sure if they should move him or leave him where he lay.

Yami glanced up stairs and noticed a book dropped on one of stairs. A closer look showed a dirt mark in the shape of a small shoe overlapping one of the edges. Truth dawned on Yami and he shoved his way through the growing crowd and knelt next to Yugi's limp form.

Just in that moment everyone cleared away for the principal and the man gasped at the appearance that met him. "What happened here," he demanded in a gruff voice, glaring pointedly at Yami like he pushed the amethyst-eyed teen.

Yami looked up with worry apparent in his eyes, not at all worried about what happened to him at this point. After all, it was his fault Yugi ran away in the first place. "Sir, I think I might know what happened. I was talking with him a few minutes ago and we came to a misunderstanding. He ran off and he must've tripped over that book there," he pointed to the stairs.

Just then a groan of pain from Yugi's throat and confused amethyst eyes blinked opened, squinting in the bright lights directly above him. His head was pounding and he couldn't figure out why he was laying on the floor surrounded by half the student body. "W-what happened," he whispered in a scratchy, knowing if he talked any louder his head would explode.

"I'll bring the nurse," a scrawny boy with wire-trim glasses shouted and ran off with another girl in pigtails directly behind him. Not two minutes later they returned with a large woman hurrying after them, a nametag labeling her as the school nurse pinned to her front.

She knelt beside Yugi and checked his head careful, watching the winces and moans of pain. "He should be fine," she said shortly after, smiling slightly at the few breaths of relief heard from random people. None were more so heard than Yami, who would've collapsed to his knees if he wasn't already on the ground.

"Probably a small concussion is all, nothing to worry about. All he need is a bit of rest. You," she pointed a plump finger at Yami. "Why don't you help bring him home? I can write you a pass for the day that won't get you into trouble."

Yugi tiredly closed his eyes and his breathing evened out a few seconds later. Some of the surrounding girls cooed and giggled at how cute they thought the sleeping teen looked.

"Like an angel," one whispered.

"He's just so adorable," said another.

Yami ignored the girls and focused his attention at the school nurse. He nodded at her instructions. She jotted down another note and tore the paper off the small notepad before replacing it her front pocket. "This should take care of it. Be careful with him and try not to jostle him around too much."

"Yes, ma'am," the crimson-eyed teen said. When he made to pick Yugi up a few people hurried over to help him lift the resting male from the ground so he was leaning into Yami's side. With that he half carried his small charge from the school slowly. "Don't worry," he whispered, "I'll take you home and take care of you until your grandfather can watch you appropriately."

Yugi groaned and mumbled incoherently. When asked to repeat his muffled comment the amethyst-eyed teen looked into Yami's red ones and the older nearly flinched when he saw the betrayal that still lingered in the younger's eyes.

"I said that my grandpa went to a gaming convention for the day," Yugi said coldly. "He won't be home until late and I left my key in my room because I was running late."

Yami stopped to think for a minute, but quickly continued on down the same street when he felt a shiver run through Yugi. "That's okay," he said. "I can take you to my place. It isn't anything like living above a game stop, I'm sure, but it is home for me. Although….I should apologize now for the mess; we're still moving in."

"It's fine," Yugi grumbled, looking back towards the ground. Yami's mouth fell open to a small "o" when he felt Yugi's added heaviness shift. The weight leaned off in the opposite direction as if Yugi was trying to keep away from him as much as possible without falling over at the same time.

"Yugi, let me help you. I don't want you getting hurt."

"And you would care now?"

A shot of pain dug sharply into Yami's chest and he was tempted to say, "I do care." He didn't wish to upset Yugi anymore than he already was though so he continued walking in silence.

Upon the arrival at Yami's house, the crimson-eyed teen carefully brought his backpack around to his free side and searched around the front pocket for a second before producing his key. "My parents around going to be home for a while," Yami said awkwardly, sticking the key in and giving it a quick turn before pushing the door forward.

Yugi gave a curt nod, but refused to look up at Yami. Instead, he stared at the coarse green carpet of the hallway. When they stopped for a moment for Yami to open the first door on the right was when Yugi looked up.

The bedroom was fairly sized with a bed directly opposite from the door, a window directly behind it where the sunlight peeked through and fell across the pillow and bedspread. There was a desk to the left of the door with various papers and binders scattered on it. A chair placed in front of the desk had a small, unopened moving box with capital letters spelling out "Yami's Room.". The whole wall to the left of the desk and chair was a closet with moving boxes haphazardly pushed into it; all with the same uppercased lettering on them. There were only a few pants and shirts hung up on hangers. Then along the wall right of the door it was entirely bare.

Yami helped him onto the bed and turned away quickly. "Why don't you take your uniform off? I don't think your grandfather would be pleased to see it in wrinkles. I'll find something for you to wear," Yami suggested. He put both of their bags next to the door.

The smaller of the two nodded reluctantly, eying Yami with narrow eyes before stripping off his jacket. When Yami rushed to his side with wide eyes he gasped. He looked down at his arm and his mouth fell open as well, mirroring the look on the older teen's face.

His upper arm, elbow, and a little ways down his forearm was died black and blue. Taking a closer look he realized that it was also a bit swollen.

"I'll get something to bring that down," Yami said as he brushed his fingers lightly over puffed up bruises. He hurried from the room, tossing his own jacket over the back of the chair. His back muscles tensed underneath his white shirt and the boy on the bed blushed lightly and looked away.

Swallowing around his dry throat and the ball that had formed there after his short stare at Yami's back, Yugi peeled off his white shirt and laid it beside him. He was trying to tell himself that Yami had betrayed him and that he shouldn't be ogling his good looks no matter how handsome he really was. Even with his shirt on Yugi good tell. Looking down he stiffly wrapped his arms around himself and shivered.

_How scrawny I must look compared to him _Yugi chastised.

When Yami walked back in with an icepack wrapped in a towel and a box of Tylenol he felt horribly when he saw the younger jerkily turn his head towards the window. _He won't even look at me. He must be even madder than I thought…_ However, Yami didn't want to be the type of person who jumped to assumptions. Instead, he asked if Yugi was uncomfortable. Yugi just shook his head and strongly insisted that it was nothing as he stared at the off-white sheets and dark blue comforter.

The older decided it was bet not to press the issue if he wanted to gain Yugi's trust and respect back…_If I ever had it to begin with…_ He knelt down and nudged Yugi's legs apart, knee0walking in between them. The unexpected action caught Yugi off guard, who was busy staring into space, and he shoved Yami away, clamping his legs together tightly.

"W-what re you doing," he demanded with a deep blush darkening his cheeks to a cherry red.

"I'm trying to help the swelling going down," Yami quickly explained, trying not to think of what Yugi might've thought he was doing. "It would be too awkward to sit on the bed and do it," he finished. "But if you would rather I would I will," he added quickly.

Yugi quickly shook his head and scooted back towards Yami with an embarrassed pink stain in his cheeks. "Sorry," he muttered, clutching tightly onto what little of the sheets he could grab into his fists.

The older nodded slowly, trying to decide if he should do it the other way or go ahead with his initial plan. Inwardly shaking his head he just decided to stay where he was and brought the cloth-wrapped icepack to Yugi's arm, holding it there firmly. Yugi looked anywhere but at him and he even brought his legs onto bed after toeing off his shoes.

"Do you have something against homosexuals," Yami asked suddenly. He wanted to slap a hand over his mouth, but he resisted the temptation. Instead, he looked up at Yugi with an intense stare.

Yugi resisted nothing, however. He sputtered and stared at the top of Yami's head with disbelief. "What," he shouted. Not the most intelligent, he knew, but the only thing he could've gotten past his lips.

"Gays? Lesbians? Do you have a problem with them," Yami rephrased the question tersely. He might not have asked the question in the first place, but after Yugi's reaction he found himself curious to know.

"N-no! What in the world would possess you to ask something like that?"

Yami shrugged and pulled away, dabbing at the water that had dripped down Yugi's arm as the ice melted. "I guess…just the way you acted when I knelt down and moved forward."

"You just surprised me, that's all. I wasn't expecting it," Yugi explained, a hand coming up to press against his throbbing temple. Inwardly he was cursing himself for having shouted so loud.

"My mistake." Yami stood and made his way out of the room. When he came back with a half-full glass of water he stared at Yugi, who was glaring at him from the bed. "What," he inquired defensively.

Yugi, who now was feeling insulted by the question, didn't think Yami believed him at all. Inside he felt like he had to prove it to Yami that he didn't have a problem with homosexuals, which didn't make any sense because he didn't have to prove a single thing to the older teen.

"I can't have a problem with them," Yugi snapped.

Yami's eyebrow rose up at the statement. "Why's that?"

"Because I am one!" Yugi's hand flew to his temple once more and his face scrunched up with pain.

Yami didn't say anything. He gave the glass to Yugi and dropped two Tylenol into his hand. "Take these." He moved to one of the boxes in the closet and shuffled around before pulling out a blanket and a sweatshirt. "Here, put these on and try getting some sleep." He took the now empty glass from Yugi and watched him pull on the sweatshirt and shuffle to get comfortable on the bed. After the younger was settled Yami closed the blinds to block out the sun.

"I'll leave the door open. Call if you need anything," Yami said before walking out and closing the door part way.

It never occurred to Yugi as he fell asleep that Yami hadn't reacted in any way to his confession. Before he had time to dwell on it he fell asleep.

Yugi awoke a couple hours later, just in time to see Yami stepping into the room with a tray in his hands.

"Good, you're awake. I made you something to eat. I hope soup is good enough. Even if there was food in this house I'm a terrible cook. Can't make a single thing without inviting the fire department over."

The younger chuckled behind his hands. "It's fine; thank you." He sat up and placed the tray in front of him, a large smile breaking out onto his face. "This is my favorite."

"Really," Yami questioned with surprise, snickering. "It's mine too."

Yugi smiled up at the older teen and thanked him once again for lunch. Yami picked up a sandwich that was also on the tray and munched on it silently.

"It's been a while since I've had a filling lunch," Yugi commented. He decided it was time to find out what had happened in the school's courtyard before he had interrupted. "Seru's always been stealing my lunch money so I got into a habit of bringing a cereal bar or something." After a moment's silence Yugi closed his eyes. "Come to think of it, I didn't get breakfast either. That's how late I was running."

Yami gave him a worried look, stuffing the rest of the sandwich in his mouth and swallowing harshly. "It's not good to go so long without food. You'll only get sick when you try eating a feast later on."

The younger glanced down sadly. "I know that," he forced out through his tightly constricted throat.

They sat in silence for a second longer before Yugi looked up. "I'm sorry for how I acted early…when I ran out on you. I should've let you explain."

Yami waved the apology away like a fly that was buzzing around in his face. "Don't worry about it, Yugi. I'll admit that it would've been a bit suspicious to me as well. All I was doing was making him a deal to make sure he left you alone." He looked around the room like it was the first time he was seeing it. "How's your headache?"

"Surprisingly enough it's almost gone. Standing I'd probably be dizzy, but like this I feel fine."

"That's good. You should be able to go to school tomorrow if you get a bit more rest tonight. I just hope that nurse isn't like my old one."

"What was she like," Yugi asked curiously, leaning forward.

"Horrible," the red-eyed teen summed up in one word. "If you were sick even with a cough she'd send you home for the day and order you not to come back until the day after it's gone. If you hurt yourself, even just a small scrape, she'd pamper you in a bed with the most uncomfortable pillows. I swear they were made of cardboard rather than feathers."

Yugi giggled behind his hand.

"Don't laugh! I'm serious," Yami mock scolded, glad to see Yugi feeling better. "They were so stiff I couldn't stand them. I think that was the whole point though. There wasn't a single person in our school who wasn't healthy. Of course, that never stopped the bullies or slackers either. Bullies were just stupid and wanted someone to hurt and slackers would fake coughs that would get them sent home. That way their parents wouldn't be able to argue with them."

Yugi nodded and snuck a peak at Yami. While he'd been asleep Yami had changed into something probably more comfortable and it was tighter than the uniform's white shirt had been. A blush spread on his cheeks as he remembered staring with awe at the tone muscles and he unconsciously hugged him. He shivered unintentionally once more at how scrawny he must look sitting next to Yami.

"Cold," Yami asked, startling Yugi from his self conscious thoughts.

Yugi nodded, not wanting to admit the real reason he shivered. The older covered him with the blanket that had pooled in Yugi's lap and then stood up, taking the tray with him. When he turned to leave Yugi called him back.

"Will you come back when you're done with those?"

"If you want me to," Yami replied slowly.

"I'd like you to…"

Yami smiled. "I'll be back in a second."

True to his word, five minutes later Yami returned with a phone in his hand. Seeing Yugi's questioning glace at the device in his hand he smiled. "My dad should be on his break about now. You should probably call you grandfather too and let him know what happened."

Yugi nodded and respectfully stayed silent as Yami talked on the phone. Afterwards he called the game shop and left a message on the machine about the events of the day.

Hours later Yugi finally felt up to going home and he nervous told Yami this. He didn't want to leave the comfortable environment, but he knew he had to go at some point. They'd played cheesy children's games Yami's parents had kept even after he'd grown up and watched a couple movies in the living room with a box of cheese-its. Yugi didn't want to intrude in Yami's home anymore than he already had.

"Are you sure? You're headache's all gone?"

Yugi nodded and glanced out at the window, his face paling considerably.

"What's wrong," Yami asked, hurrying to his side to catch him in case he fainted.

"I…I don't like the dark," Yugi confessed in a tense whispered.

Yami smiled and hugged Yugi from behind, pressing soothing circles into his back. "I see," he whispered back. He kept his voice soft for some reason, whether to keep from startling the already frightened teen even further or just because he wanted to. He'd felt a suddenly urge to protect the younger teen and he hugged him gently to push back some unknown impulse deep inside him.

"I've always hated it for some reason."

"It's okay. It's completely understandable, Yugi. If it makes you feel any better than I don't like it very much either." Yugi looked over his shoulder at Yami in disbelief. "I know it may not seem like it, but it always felt wrong at night ever since I was really little. I don't know why, but I can't remember, whenever I was going to sleep I had to be holding something: a stuffed animal most likely. I must've lost it years ago, but going to sleep even now doesn't seem right. Something inside me…I guess it's telling me that something's missing."

"I feel that sometimes too," Yugi said excitedly, amazed that Yami felt the same as him. "I always believed it was my real mother or father holding me close at night. I've always loved to be help, but for some reason it never feels right when someone does it even though I know it's what I want." Yugi glanced at Yami with a light blush. "That doesn't make sense, does it?"

Yami nodded. "I understand it." He stood and left the room, coming back a second later with Yugi's backpack. "I'll take you home. I usually don't go to sleep until my parents get home. I'll just leave a note telling them I'll be gone for a few minutes."

"Thank you, Yami, but you don't have to."

"I want to though." He opened the front door. "Let's go."

The walk to the game shop was silent except the small scuffing of shoes on the sidewalk and the occasional pebble that bounced as a result of being kicked. Even though neither of them spoke both teens enjoyed the experience and they felt, for that short time together, that things were finally as they should be."

"Thank you for helping me, Yami," Yugi said as they reached the backdoor of the game shop. He tried the hand and sighed with relief when it turned easily, signaling that his grandfather was home and left it open for him. "I hope you haven't fallen too far behind," he added as he took the backpack from Yami.

"It was just one day, Yugi. Don't worry about." He waved goodbye and walked down the stoned walkway around to the front. He stopped just before turning the corner and turned back. "Yugi," he smirked, "I don't want to see you at school tomorrow if you have a headache when you wake up." Yugi stared at him with wide eyes for a second before he nodded with a soft smile. "Promise?"

"Yes, I promise."

"Good; I'll see you later then." He turned the corner.

Yugi sighed and a small smile couldn't help but escape him. The thoughts passing through his mind as he stepped into the game shop and put his stuff away was how enjoyable his day had been despite the fact of the first events at school.

Little did he know that Yami was thinking the same thing. That and how adorable Yugi looked asleep, and in his own bed as a bonus. If anything, he knew, somehow, that that night he was going to be sleeping peacefully.


	4. A Deal Made

"Leave me alone!" Yugi shouted at the school bully as he cornered himself in between the school building and the fence surrounding the perimeter of the property.

"Come on, squirt. I just wanna talk to you for a minute so stop making so stop making it so much more difficult than it really is."

"No! Just go away or… or else Yami will find you and you'll get beat up again!" Yugi warned out, hoping that his wish came true and Yami would find them in the deserted area of the school.

The truth was he hadn't meant to get so far away from the rest of the people at the school, but it just happened that that's where his feet had unconsciously led him and now it was excruciatingly rare that someone would find them unless they looked extremely hard and probably very long.

The story went that Seru had actually sought him out and he ran the first chance he got before the bully got a word out. Now he had no choice but to listen to him unless he could scare him into thinking Yami would find them and he'd get hurt again.

As it went though Seru and his cronies through their heads back at nearly the exact same time after he had made his threat and laughed as loudly as humanly possible.

After a few minutes and their laughter had died down some, Seru smirked at Yugi. "It just so happens that Jikiro and I had a little chat, the one you witnessed just yesterday. See he told me that you ran from him and got into an accident in which the stairs won. Now I suppose it's my turn to tell you about our agreement."

"I don't care what it was about; just leave me alone!" Yugi yelled at him. He was hoping that if his voice was loud enough someone might just hear them and come before Seru got bored of talking and wanted to play the 'fist imprinted in head' game.

"Stop scaring the poor guy, Seru." A familiar deep voice chuckled just behind the school bully.

"It's just too much fun messing with his head though, Jikiro." Seru said back just as he turned and Yami came into view.

"Yami!" Yugi shouted relief and felt instant bravery at the sight of the teen. He shoved passed Seru and grabbed onto the taller's arm and hid slightly behind him, glaring at him from the side of his savior. "I told you he'd come and now you're in big trouble." Yugi mocked, sticking his tongue out for emphasis.

Seru only laughed again and walked towards them. Yugi tensed but Yami shook his head to show him not to worry and, somehow knowing he would, Seru stopped directly in front of them. Confusion was the first thing that dawned on Yugi before realization overcame him instead: it must've had something to do with the agreement that him and Yami had made.

"Well, squirt, I guess Jikiro is going to tell you himself after all. Less fun for me, but go ahead then."

Yami nodded and looked down at Yugi, not making any move to tug Yugi's clasp around his arm, especially if it helped the smaller teen feel safer in the presence of his life's tormentor. "Yugi, you remember yesterday when you saw me and Seru shaking hands?" Yugi nodded and Yami smiled slightly. "I was going to tell you but I didn't want you to think too much after your accident. We made an agreement that Seru would stop picking on you in exchange that I don't tell anyone about how I embarrassingly beat him and the rest of his gang and to also help him with his studies since he doesn't want to repeat his junior year again."

"And if you tell anyone, squirt, I may just forget I ever made that promise." Seru growled between clenched teeth.

"What do you think, Yugi?"

"Y-you did that for me?" Yami nodded. "But why?"

"Because you're my friend and I hate seeing my friends get hurt if I have a way to stop it."

"Then… then I promise I won't tell anyone."

"You better squirt." Seru smirked. "Well, now that that's taken care of I suppose we should get to class." He nodded to his three friends behind him and they walked off towards the school building together.

"Thank you, Yami." Yugi whispered as he finally let go of Yami's arm and hid both hands behind his back nervously. "Now that I think about it now, I feel kind of stupid for how I was yelling at him that you would beat him up if you found us."

"Don't worry about it. And don't feel scared about coming to me if he still bugs you, okay. I want to make sure he keeps his end of the bargain up before I completely start trusting him enough to let him in my house for a study session."

Yugi laughed and nodded. "I promise." They walked off together towards the school.

That had to be one of the weirdest days Yugi had ever had in the history of his educational life. Instead of hiding during lunch for the first fifteen minutes or so like normal Yugi was allowed the pleasure of walking around only to run into someone and caused him to fall on the ground.

"Hey, squirt. You should really pay attention to where you're going or you'll get hurt." A hand appeared in front of Yugi's face and he looked up curiously at Seru.

"Why are you being so nice now?" Yugi accused.

"Well I figured if I'm not allowed to pick on you anymore if I don't want my old man to ground me all summer for not passing my junior year again, then I might as well get along with you then, if you don't mind that is; wouldn't want to waste my time on a shrimp if he's not going to appreciate it."

Yugi smiled slightly on nodded, relieved for the bully's change of mind all because of Yami. If anyone had told Yugi that he was going to end up having some kind of friendly relationship with the bully who had beat him up for all his school years, he would've probably died of laughter, but now he doesn't find it so strange somehow. He gladly took the offered hand and strangely comforting with the rough texture of Seru's skin had against his own soft and childlike hands.

"Now get out of here. I'm sure that your friends are wondering where you are."

Yugi nodded and hurried off.

"Hey! Squirt!" Seru called back.

Yugi paused and looked back.

"Tell Yami I've got some Algebra homework I need help on and my teacher sucks at explaining things that make sense!"

Yugi nodded big enough for Seru to see and hurried off again. He might feel slightly more comfortable in the junior's presence now that he knew he wasn't going to get hurt doing it, but that didn't count for having some kind of conversation with him.

"Yugi!" One of the teen's friends called out when they saw him heading towards them.

"Hey, Duke. What's up? Where's the rest of the gang eating today?"

"We're over in the shade today since the sun's so bright and hard on the eyes. Come on, Yami's already there."

Yugi nodded and they hurried over to the table where everyone was anxiously waiting to hear how Yugi was feeling after hearing from Yami about his fight and loss with the stairs.

Yugi hung up the phone and turned to Yami with a smile. "He said it's fine."

"Good, now we'll be able to work on that project without a time limit to worry about." Yami returned the smile and led the way to his bedroom.

The duo were assigned a science project the day before and both had agreed to go to Yami's house to work on the project together so they could both get a good grade instead of a rushed project using the time given in class. They would get the research over with that day and do all the other technical stuff done during class and, if needed, finish the rest of it at Yami's place as well.

"Yami," Yugi suddenly looked up from one of the many research books they'd checked out from the school library. Yami made a noise from his laptop that told the younger teen he was listening. "Why aren't your parents ever home? Are they really such workaholics?"

Yami looked up at Yugi and stopped typing for a second. "Before we moved here we had… problems with our financial orders. It seemed like my parents had them even before I was born. They told me once that I was going to be taken away from them if they didn't get everything straightened out in a limited amount of time. They did though so there's nothing to worry about anymore." Yami finished off quickly and went back to typing.

Yugi looked down at the book he was reading silently, but he couldn't focus on the words. Looking back over at Yami he saw that the red eyes had darkened slightly and there was something fierce glinting in their depths. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

Yami glanced up startled and shook his head. "Don't worry about it, it's not important anymore. That's all in the past and it can't be changed."

"I know, but I shouldn't have made you bring it up."

Yami started at how sincere Yugi sounded even when it wasn't the younger's fault. He moved his laptop to his side and slid off the bed to wrap his arms around the younger, surprising him slightly before he hesitantly moved more comfortably into the embrace. "Yugi, I told you because I trust you and because I wanted to tell you. You didn't make me tell you anything."

Yugi nodded and snuggled closer into Yami's arms. He suddenly realized what he was doing though and pulled back abruptly, blushing intensely and looking to the floor.

Yami also blushed, not to Yugi's knowledge. He'd known Yugi for a few weeks now and recently he'd found that he continuously wanted to be near the younger. He tried ignoring his feelings so he wouldn't scare off his shy friend, but it didn't seem to be working. He'd even gone so far as to try avoiding him for a day but his resolve ended the same day when Joey came to him saying Yugi was in tears because he believed he was mad at him for something he'd done.

"Why don't we take a break for a little while since I don't think we're going to get much done right now," he suggested out of the blue, wanting to get their minds on a different subject. "Would you like something to eat?"

Yugi looked up shyly and nodded. "If it's not too much trouble?"

"Of course not, Yugi. Come on, let's go see what we've got in this place."

They ended up having sandwiches since that's all they had in the house after Yami figured, with slight embarrassment, that his mom had reminded him just before he left for school that she was going to go grocery shopping before she got home from work.

As he watched Yugi eat his PBJ, he noticed small remnants of peanut butter and some of the jelly making a mustache on the smaller's face and he wished eagerly to help clean it for him. At that thought however, he mentally smacked himself and fell off the stool in his psychological scolding of having such perverted thoughts for someone so innocent.

Yugi jumped up from his own stool instantaneously and crouched down beside the older teen. "Yami! Are you hurt?" He asked with pressing concern.

A blush from Yami was all it took then when he made his settlement to tell Yugi how he felt since he obviously couldn't suppress them.

"Yami, say something!" Yugi's voice startled him from his thoughts.

The older jumped up with a darker blush against his pale cheeks and nodded rapidly. "Yeah, no problems; just clumsy I guess."

"If you're sure." Yugi stood hesitantly and sat back down on his stool, still staring at Yami.

"I'm fine; nothing to worry about, I promise." Yami moved back onto his own stool and gave a mental sigh in relief. _'I'll tell him on Monday. That way if he doesn't answer me when I tell him then he has the chance to avoid me if he doesn't feel the same.'_ He looked back up at Yugi and gave him an encouraging smile. "I think I'm about ready to work on that project then. How bout you?"

Yugi gave a small nod with a smile. "Yup," he jumped off the stool, "let's go." He grabbed Yami's hand and pulled him to the bedroom not noticing the flush on Yami's cheeks nor his direct stare where their hands were interlocked.

Yugi gave a large yawn and stretched out tiredly on the cough, his head unconsciously resting on Yami's lap where he had put it while watching a movie the two had decided to watch after they finished all the research they possible could.

"I think it's time for you to go home, Yugi. I wouldn't want your grandfather to get mad with me if I called and told you had fallen asleep and I had too big a heart to wake you up."

The younger looked up at him tiredly and gave a small nod. "Okay," he mumbled out. Yami thought he looked adorable.

"I can drive you home if you want," Yami offered.

Yugi's eyes widened in confusion. "You can drive? How come you never mentioned that before?"

Yami shrugged. "I hadn't had my license for long enough to be able to drive you before and it never came up I guess. Would you rather we walked instead?"

"I'm afraid you'd have to carry me if we did that. I wouldn't be able to walk all that way."

"Alright then, as long as you aren't scared of motorcycles. My car needs a new battery and I haven't gotten around to it."

Yugi hesitated before he shook his head 'no' slowly. "It'll be all right. At least I should be able to stay awake with the wind blowing in my face."

"Okay then, let's go find a helmet for you." Yami led the way into the one-car garage.

Inside was a large open space where a car could fit, and off to the side with a cover over it was what was unmistakably a kind of motorcycle.

"I actually found it in a junkyard near my old apartment home. I liked it and fixed it up a bit. Then I saved up the money to take the test to get my license to be able to drive it on the street. The radiator got shot though since it was so old and I finally got enough saved up last weekend to get a new one."

"So you'll be able to get to school faster now."

"That's right. If you want I could give you rides so you won't feel rushed anymore."

"That would be nice. Especially when I have a lot of homework in my backpack; it's starting to really mess up my back and making it really sore."

Yami nodded as he rummaged through a moth-eaten box before yelling in triumph. "Here, it's a bit smaller than my own so it should work for now."

Yugi nodded and took it, trying it on. Yami pat the top of it and jiggled it around before he was satisfied. "A perfect fit." He announced.

He moved to the covered bike and removed the sheet to reveal a shiny, midnight blue colored motorcycle. Yugi could only imagine what hard work Yami had to have put into it to get it to run and look like new.

"You did a great job fixing this up if you got it out of a junk yard. It looks amazing."

Yami laughed, "Thanks, it did take a long time and a few times I even considered giving up." He swung one leg over and looked it over silently before nodding and pulling a key from his pocket to start it up. "It actually looked like… well, I'm not sure what to say what it looked liked when I found it, but it did look a real mess. The new coat is really what lightened my pocket. After shining the real color up I found out that the old coat of paint was cracked and scratching up and I didn't want to ride around with it looking like that so I wanted a new coat on it to make it look new." He turned the key and a beautiful sounding hum riveted up.

"Sounds nice!" Yugi shouted over the noise.

Yami nodded a thanks and put on his helmet. After buckling it up he pointed to a button near the door and Yugi hurried over to press it. The garage door opened and Yami scooted the bike out slowly. Once clear he nodded for Yugi to press it again and, after doing so, ran out before the door closed. He climbed onto the back of the bike behind Yami and wrapped his arms tightly around the older's waist before Yami rode them down the street at a speed he guessed would be okay for Yugi to handle.

Turning the first corner Yugi squeezed his arms tighter around Yami's waist in the fear that they wouldn't make the turn and would skid off balance but he found his fears were for nothing when Yami expertly made the turn and barely leaned towards the deathly pavement below.

After a few more twists and turns Yami gave to a slow stop and turned off the engine. He hopped off the bike and helped Yugi down as well. "Sorry if I scared you." Yami said as he took Yugi's helmet from him.

"No, don't worry about it. I've just never ridden on a bike before. Thanks for not going fast though."

Yami waved it off and turned to the game shop where Yugi's grandfather was opening the locked doors so Yugi wouldn't have to go around. "I'll take that as your signal that you have to go in now." He joked.

"Probably; then again he could just be in shock that I came here on a motorcycle."

Yami laughed and got back on the bike. "I'll see you on Monday then?"

"Yup." Yugi answered cheerfully.

Yami gave him a small wink before driving back down the street.

A blush spread on Yugi's cheeks as he watched him go and was startled when a blanket was wrapped around his shoulders.

"He seems like a nice enough lad. Is he your type though?" His grandpa teased.

A darker blush covered the first and slapped his grandpa's arms away lightly.  
"Grandpa!"

"Just asking." The old man joked, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "Let's go inside. You look like you're ready to drop."

"I am." Yugi smiled back. He followed the game shop keeper inside and locked the doors behind him before going to bed. His grandfather came in to say goodnight. Before he closed the bedroom door though, Yugi called him back.

"He is." Yugi answered.

"He who?" Solomon asked in confusion.

"Yami…he's my type." Yugi blushed lightly.

"I'm glad you finally found someone who treats you nice, Yugi. Goodnight."

"Night, grandpa."


	5. Pop the Question

I know it's been a super long time since I last updated and I'm really sorry. I actually started this chapter the day after my last update and then it just wouldn't work with me. Then I've been sick all week and I'm finally just about to sneak out to go to school tomorrow since I'm so sick of my house. Just don't kill me about this chapter…you'll understand about mid-chapter.

On Monday morning, Yugi was surprised when a person ran past him and stopped just a few feet in front of them, the person heaving for breath and clutching a bag at his shoulder. His amethyst eyes widened in surprise.

"Yami? I thought you'd be riding your motorcycle to school now that it's fixed up."

"I would, but I enjoy the scenery going slow rather than fast; it's a beautiful thing to look at, don't you agree?"

A large smile opened on Yugi's face and the younger nodded excitedly. "That's why I don't let my grandpa give me rides; I enjoy walking a lot better."

Arriving at the school Yami suddenly became quiet and looked bit lost, like he didn't know what to say or do, especially with his hands. The slightly rough-looking and, yet, still soft-observed hands were sweating profusely as they wrung in knots around each other.

"Yami, is everything okay?" Yugi asked him, concern glowing in his amethyst eyes.

"Well, actually I…um…no…sort of…yes!" He shouted the last part after his stumbling. "Everything's fine; don't worry about a thing."

"If you're sure then," Yugi whispered, not believing Yami and feeling betrayed that Yami would lie to him about something so simple to answer. It wasn't like he was going to push Yami into telling him what it was; it was an unpretentious 'yes' or 'no' question, wasn't it?

The bell echoed throughout the school yard and Yugi turned to leave. He made it a few feet from the door when he heard someone running towards him and his name being hollered. He turned and waited for Yami to catch up.

"The thing is, Yugi…I uh… I need to talk to you about something really important. Can you wait for me after school by the front gate?"

A small smile appeared over Yugi's slightest of frowns and he nodded. "Sure, no problem. See ya later." He headed up the steps before he froze in mid-step, looking back at Yami. "Why not at lunch?"

A red flush faded onto Yami's cheeks, but it was slight; Yugi wasn't sure if he really saw it or it was his imagination. "It's kind of private and I don't want anybody overhearing."

"That's okay then. Later."

Yami waited for Yugi to disappear behind the large school doors before letting out a sigh of relief. _'Yami, you are the biggest idiot in the world,'_ He cursed at himself. _'Let's talk about plain, out in the open lying for a second! Main reason why we don't lie: WE SUCK AT IT!'_ With that conversation stored away for later discipline, Yami strolled into the building and headed for his first class.

Yami sighed with relief when the final bell rang to signal the students they were released for the day. Of course, then he looked out the window a second later and saw Yugi running over to the front gate and his courage seemed to dissolve from his body.

'_You can do this, Yami!' _He tried to pump himself up for the confession he was about to give in a few minutes. He stood and hurried out to his locked. _'Think of how proud mom and dad will be when I tell them I've finally found someone I want to be with and asked them out.'_ He opened the front doors and stared out into the school yard, his eyes immediately turning to Yugi. _'Now all I have to do is try not to think of all the negative things Yugi could say to me when I tell him.'_

Amethyst eyes turned in his direction and began to glow brightly as their owned waved and ran over to him. "Hey, Yami," Yugi exclaimed happily as he stopped in front of Yami. "So, you wanted to tell me something important without anyone around?" He took a quick glance around the now deserted yard to add to his joke. "Unless you know a place where the dead can't even here?"

Nerves overtaking him, Yami grasped Yugi's wrist, more tightly than he wanted to, and dragged the younger teen off in the direction of his house as fast as he could.

"Yami," Yugi questioned, fear evident in his voice. "Yami, did I say something wrong?"

Yami never answered him…

Arriving at the house, Yami tug Yugi to his room, all but slamming the door after they entered. That's when he finally released Yugi.

The younger fell back on the bed with alarm clouding his eyes as he continuously rubbed over his abused wrist, never taking his eyes away from his taller look-a-like. How could he not be scared when Yami had never shown a side like he had just revealed before? More than anything though, he was confused with the change of attitude and he couldn't help but wonder if he had done something wrong. Coming to this realization, the question burned in his eyes, but he dare not say a thing to set Yami off once more. He didn't think he could handle his wrist, either of them, to be treated that way again.

Yami turned to him, now calmer than the entire walk home, and was shocked to see Yugi as he huddled closely to the wall by his bed. Had he done something wrong? He couldn't even remember the walk home. He hadn't even planned to bring Yugi to his house. He just thought he would ask Yugi to go out with him in the school yard and leave it at that, whether the answer was positive or negative.

It was then that he saw the question in the younger's eyes. The memory flashed in his eyes and he all but dropped to his knees in self-hate. How could he have done that to the young innocent, someone who seemed so frail he could be broken with even the slightest touch? And here, here he had the nerve to handle him so cruelly.

He moved slowly towards the bed and held out his hand carefully, not wanting to startle the boy anymore than he probably already had. As if in slow motion, Yugi held out his wrist to Yami and watched, his shaking deceasing with ever passing second, as the slightly larger hands massaged the small bruise of fingertips around the base of his hand.

"I'm sorry, Yugi," Yami whispered gently. "I'm just so nervous that I didn't know what I was doing. I never even meant to bring you here."

"What are you talking about, Yami? I met you in the yard like you told me to this morning and then you drag me to your house acting like a complete stranger. I've never seen anyone change so quickly."

"It's sort of what happens when I get nervous; like I almost don't have control of myself anymore. It's a good thing it doesn't happen very often though." Yami joked lightly at the end, trying to improve the mood; it didn't work very well.

"Well it would at least help if you'd tell me if what I did to get you so nervous." Yugi accused.

Crimson eyes widened and their owner quickly shook his head. "No, Yugi! You did nothing wrong, I swear. It's all me." Yami took a deep breath and let it out so slowly you could barely tell he was exhaling. "I have something important to ask you, Yugi, and I'd like it very much if you would accept my offer because it would make me very happy."

Yugi was weary and, he had to admit, had little respect for Yami now because of what he did. He wasn't sure if he wanted to agree with whatever the question was if it meant he'd have to hang around Yami when he acted like that. Slowly though, he nodded for Yami to continue.

"Yugi, would you go out with me and be my boyfriend?"

Yugi's eyes widened and a sweat drop formed on his brow. "What?"

"Would you please go out with me? Be my boyfriend?" Yami asked pleadingly.

Silence ringed through the room and even though there was no noise, it seemed like the loudest thing in the world at that moment.

"No." A firm voice finally answered from just about Yami.

The older teen's head shot up in surprise and a small trace of tears were forming in his eyes. "B-but why?"

"You have the nerve to ask me something like…like _that_ after what you just did to me? How dare you? You think just because you ask me to go out with you after you just acted like a complete jerk to me, it makes everything okay and I'll forgive you?"

"No, Yugi…I…"

"Don't even try it, Yami! You've got some nerve to even consider asking me that, whether you're nervous or not. If I was even going to think about going out with someone I'd at least want to know them better than I know you and longer than just a few weeks. And I especially don't want to be asked out by someone who gets freaked out like you do!" Yugi stood and marched out the door and the house without another word.

Salty drops fell to the floor as Yami curled around himself and huddles against the furthest wall from the door. He couldn't stop the tears from coming and he doesn't even bother to try stopping them from falling.

Yugi gasped for air against the front door of Yami's house. _'Why? Why did I say such horrible things? I suck for saying what I did, no matter what Yami did to me. He explained what happened and I blew it up in his face like there was no tomorrow. I should apologize to him…at least give him a chance to prove that it won't happen again.'_ He turned, ready to open the door and go back in before he froze in horror. _'What if he wants nothing more to do with me because of what I said?'_ He turned and ran down the driveway and away from the house as fast as he could. _'How will I ever face him after this?'_

Yugi dropped his bag at the front door and hurried up to his room, tears flowing down in rivers across his cheeks. It wasn't long before he heard the expected knock at his door.

"Yugi? Is everything okay?" His grandpa looked into the room a felt concern for his upset grandson. He hurried to his side and held him tightly in his arms. "Shh, everything's going to be fine, Yugi. Tell me, what's got you so troubled?"

Amethyst eyes looked into his the old man's. Solomon was surprised to see their depths looking so lost and helpless, like Yugi didn't know what to do or where to turn now. Whatever was upsetting his grandson, it had affected him nearly as much as the death of his parents had.

Yugi walked to school alone the next day and didn't see any signs of Yami or hear the roar of a motorcycle coming down the street. He felt horrible and only wished he could make it up to his friend somehow and, hopefully, sometime in the very near future.

It was at lunch when the impossible happened again. He was hiding up in the small gym in front of the boys' locker room with Joey, playing ping-pong. He hadn't realized they were being watched as they played until he heard his name called out by the one voice he hadn't expected to hear come out of this particular person's mouth.

Joey growled under his breath as Seru walked over to Yugi, but held back any remark or action since Yugi had told him and the rest of the gang about the deal. Yugi only wished it was still on even if he did get upset with Yami.

"I need to speak to you…now." Seru told Yugi.

Not wanting to get on his bad side, since he already seemed to be on it, and nodded. He followed the older and much stronger teen outside and leant against the wall by the nearest corner in case he needed to make a fast getaway.

"I heard about what happened between you and Jikiro yesterday."

Yugi audibly gulped and scooted closer to the corner. Seru smirked at the motion and moved away from the frightened teen. "You'll be happy to know, however, that Yami still wants to keep up the deal to keep you safe."

Yugi's eyes widened considerably and, without realizing it, he relaxed. "He does?"

Seru nodded and looked away. "He told me not to come looking for you either, but, as you can clearly see, I don't follow directions very well."

"So you're still going to…"

"No." Seru cut him off. "I've found a respect for Jikiro so I agreed to keep going along with the deal even though you hurt him; greatly, I'll add. He definitely didn't seem like himself when I saw him this morning in the library. Anyway, down to the point. Don't ask why or anything, but I'm gonna help you."

"Why; with what?"

Seru's eyebrow raised in mock-question, almost as if to say _'it's plainly obvious you want to be friends again, even when you are too chicken to go to him yourself.'_ "Well, kid," Seru started after a short silence, "Yami told me what you said to him, after much persuasion I might add, and it got me thinking. We talk a lot while he's helping me and I know all the places he goes to and when he's going to meet up with me when I need the extra help. I can set you up with him with him only thinking he's going to be seeing me."

"What's the catch?"

"Smart kid." Seru smirked. "My boys have done a little research for me and found out that you're getting a high A in PE. Yami has enough work on his hands tutoring me in everything else so I'm not going to bug him. I can get a passing grade if I get better at the unit we're doing now and pass the test. You help me do that and I'll set you up with Yami."

"What's the unit?"

"Ping-pong."

Yugi thought for a second before wishing greatly he wasn't making the wrong choice. "Let's get started."

Seru smirked and nodded. He followed his once favorite beat-up toy into the small gym and watched quietly as Yugi told his dog friend to meet up with him later before the blonde finally left them alone.

"When's your test?" Yugi asked as he set himself up on the opposite side of the table, ready to serve.

"A week from Friday."

"At least you gave me some time to work with you rather than a couple days. Let's see what you know then."

With only a few games Yugi's only thoughts running through his head were, _'This is going to be the death of me,'_ As another ping-pong ball sailed over his head and joined the many more that had collected on the outside of the school fence.


	6. Compassion and Understanding

Yugi was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. He'd worked for hours with Seru and, though they still had a lot of work to do to raise his grade, he was improving bit by bit.

'_Everyone has to start somewhere I guess. Besides, I'm doing this for Yami.'_ Yugi smiled at the thought and rolled over in his bed. _'Thank kami it's Friday. I don't think I'd be able to get off this bed even if I wanted to.'_

Heavy eyelids closed with utter relief and Yugi released himself to the darkness of sleep.

_Screaming and crying invaded his senses. He didn't know where he was or how he got there. He could recognize a woman's voice; the one who was crying._

_Yugi opened his eyes and glanced around. _'I thought I was in my room. How did I get here?'_ A ray of light, seemingly appearing from nowhere, focused lightly on two forms huddles closely together. _'What's wrong with them?' _He wanted to call out to them; try to help them, but his voice wasn't working. _

_He tried walking and was relieved to see that at least his legs were functioning the way he wanted them to. He hurried over to them and laid his hand gently on the sobbing woman's shoulder. Somehow, he didn't know how, but he knew his voice was working now. _"Excuse me," _he whispered,_ "Are you okay; do you need help?"

_The woman looked up and the man finally moved to show he too had tears burning in his eyes. Yugi was amazed at the similarities between him and these two adults. _'Who are these people?'_ He couldn't help but wonder._

_The woman's violet eyes widened as she looked at him and, to Yugi's great surprise, she threw her arms around his neck and held him tightly. He could just make out her mumbling words being lost into the neck of his shirt. _

"My Yugi, my darling Yugi. You've found your way back to us; I'm so relieved." _She whispered over and over again. Yugi didn't know what to do, but if it gave the woman a sense of relief and it calmed her, he was willing to let her do as she wished for the time being. After all, she wasn't doing anything wrong._

"Our son, how we've missed you so much."_ The man finally spoke. Yugi started for a minute when he turned his head and found himself looking into familiar crimson red eyes. _

'Those are Yami's eyes. Who are these people?' _Amethyst eyes widened and he couldn't help but wonder, _'Could – could these people be my real parents?'

Yugi awoke with a start and glanced around the room. _'That dream…what was that?_' He glanced over at the clock and it read 11.30PM in flashing red letters. _'I wonder if grandpa's still up…maybe he'll be able to answer my questions?'_

The teen scooted off the bed and moved sluggishly downstairs, his only thoughts occupied by the dream about the two adults who looked so much like him…_ 'And Yami.'_

Yugi was relieved to see that his grandpa was still awake and he hurried over to him. "Hey, grandpa, do you have a few minutes?"

"Of course, Yugi. What can I do for you?" The old man smiled up at the teen, motioning for the teen to take a seat beside him.

"Well, I had this really strange dream just now and I was wondering if you could help me. You see, it was all black except for a spotlight where two people, a man and a woman, were holding each other closely and they were crying. I went over to them and then they said I was their son. They looked so much like me and…" He paused, not sure if he should add the part about Yami. He opted against it and continued. "And I was just wondering what my real parents were like. What they looked like and all? Could you tell me, grandpa, please?"

Solomon Mouto shook his head sadly and stood from the couch. "I'm sorry, Yugi, but I can't. Even if I did know anything of your real parents or even all the details of why they put you up for adoption, I can't tell you. It's completely confidential and yes," he said suddenly, seeing Yugi start to interrupt, "even from you."

"But that's not fair. What they live here and I could meet them? They could be my neighbors for all I fucking know!"

"Yugi! Watch your mouth!" The old man scolded.

"No! I'm sick of this! It isn't fair that I can't know about my real parents even if it's the slightest color of their hair or a speck of their eye color. Even how damned short their hair is!" Yugi turned on his heel and stormed out of the house as fast as he could, not sure where he could go.

Yugi walked slowly through the deserted park near his school. He had decided to go to Yami's place, but he didn't want to disturb his… what was Yami to him now? Surely they weren't friends from the way Yugi had treated him and for the same reason they definitely weren't anything more than that. However, he had walked by the house, but the entire building was dark minus the automatic garage lights that went on at motion.

The teen slumped in a wet park bench, not scaring what it would do to his pants. _'Rain seems very fitting for my mood now anymore. But I suppose I'm no good for that so the after effects of it will be good enough.'_ He thought as he looked at his hand, dripping with water from touching the bench.

A single drop of water falling on the tip of his nose made Yugi look towards the darkening sky. _'Could it be… ?'_ Not a second later rain was starting to fall down like there was no tomorrow. _'Seems like the gods answered my prayers.'_ A small smile appeared onto Yugi's face as he continued to stare up into the grey clouds covering the sky.

"Hey! Is that… Wait here!" A voice, familiar to Yugi, called to someone else. "Yugi? Is that you?" Someone with blonde hair now standing in Yugi's line of vision asked.

The teen nodded silently, not wanting to break the euphoria of peace the rain had given him.

"Kami, Yugi! What on earth are you doing out in the rain barely wearing anything?" The blonde yelled and hurriedly wrapped his arms around his friend.

"Puppy?"

"Seto, it's Yugi!" The blonde called out to his boyfriend not ten feet away from where they were.

"Come on, Yugi, let's get you home. Your gramps will be worried about." The blonde stood and pulled on Yugi's hands to help him up, but the teen didn't budge and he looked down worriedly at his amethyst-eyed friend. "Yugi?"

Wordlessly, Yugi shook his head, his eyes glaring at nothing looking as hard as ice.

Joey looked back at Seto and, with a sigh, nodded. The blonde turned back to his still glaring friend. "Then we'll take you to Seto's, Yugi. Would that be fine?"

Yugi's eyes softened and the teen nodded. He allowed himself to be pulled up but his legs quickly gave out on him, almost as if they were made of jelly, and he fell to the ground on his knees.

"Yugi?" Joey asked with concern in his voice.

Someone, Yugi wasn't sure who, knelt beside him and wrapped his arms around him, helping him up, but they didn't stop there. They picked Yugi up completely off the ground and into their arms, holding him like a parent would with a small child and carried him down the park. It wasn't until Joey's form appeared in Yugi's slightly slurred vision that he realized it was Seto who was carrying him.

With that single thought in mind Yugi felt his eyelids giving out on him and it wasn't long before Seto stopped in surprise at feeling Yugi's small form slump completely in his arms. He looked into the teen's face the best he could and couldn't help a small, careless smirk cover his face.

"Seto? What's wrong?" His boyfriend asked, slightly behind him.

"Nothing, pup. He's just gone to sleep."

"Out here?" Joey asked with disbelief.

Seto nodded.

"He must be exhausted for something like that to happen. I wonder… what happened to make him not want to go home. Do you think he got in a fight with his grandpa?"

Seto shrugged and continued down the sidewalk, even more careful not to trip in the growing puddles in the various dips along the way. He wouldn't want to be responsible for even more injuries to be carried by the small teen resting in his arms.

Joey hurried to open the door and stood aside so Seto could enter first with the still slumbering Yugi in his arms.

"Pup, I'm going to get Yugi dried off and into some better clothes so he won't catch a cold. Would you find someone and have them fix up the closest bedroom to our rooms for him, please?"

"Of course, Seto." Joey hurried off to do as told.

Seto moved towards the bathroom. He dried Yugi off the best he could without waking him and removed his clothes down to his boxers and dropped them into the sink before turning to one of Mokuba's robes he had grabbed on the way to the washroom. He knew his little brother wouldn't mind Yugi using it, especially if it kept the young duelist from becoming sick with a fever.

A knock on the door was heard and Joey stuck his head in. "The room's ready for him."

Seto nodded and picked Yugi back up, following Joey to the room that had been prepared. He was pleased to find out it was only a few doors away from his and his koi's room.

He laid Yugi down on the bed and covered him up warmly before following his lover out and into their own rooms to dry off.

Yugi's eyes blinked once, again, and finally opened sleepily to look around the room. He had most definitely not fallen asleep here. He regained his senses and remembered he had been in Seto's arms when he had felt the urge to rest. He figured he must be in one of the guestrooms in Seto's mansion. He pushed the covers away from him and searched for a clock to see the time.

A digital one was set up on a desk by the door and it read 2.20AM.

'_When did I go to sleep?'_ Yugi mused as he stared at the clock carelessly. Dropping the matter he headed for the door. He needed to get something into his stomach before it woke the whole household with its rumbling.

He opened the door as quietly as he could and looked around the hallway before closing it slightly behind him. That's when he noticed the slightly too-small bathrobe and he was wearing and wondered when that had been put on him. He didn't care though when he found he was only wearing his boxers underneath.

'_Seto or Joey must've done it while I was sleeping. I must've been very tired if I didn't wake up.'_

He noticed a door slightly cracked open and he moved towards it, peering in quietly. A saddened frown came over his face as he saw his best friend snuggled up beside his millionaire lover, the latter's arms holding the blonde tightly. He closed the bedroom door back to its original state and headed down the hallway in search of the stairs.

He was surprised, especially in his still half-asleep state, that he managed to find the stairs on his second try wandering aimlessly through the halls of the second floor. He walked noiselessly down the stairs and wandered into the kitchen, glad that he knew the first floor well enough to find it without getting lost. He was slightly surprised when he saw a few people working tirelessly around, mopping the floor and putting spare dishes away.

One woman noticed him and hurried over, bowing slightly in respect. "You should be asleep, sir. Master Seto told us not to disturb you and you were sleeping out in the rain."

"Actually, I was wondering if I could get something to eat. I kinda… skipped dinner at my place and I can't exactly go home now without having to worry Seto or Joey."

"Yes, I understand, sir. What would you like; I can get it for you."

"Could I get some hot chocolate, please?" The young teen asked hopefully; he really needed something chocolately.

The woman seemed to sense his need for chocolate and offered him a friendly smile and laughed even. "Of course you can. Young Master Mokuba always loves a hot chocolate before resting for the night. If you could wait for a just a second to finish what's left of my cleaning I would be happy to make it for you."

"Sure, no problem; I wouldn't want you to get in trouble on my sake."

The maid nodded once more and went back to what was left of her duties. It wasn't long, maybe ten minutes at the most, before a steaming mug was placed in front of him. "You might have to wait for it to cool down; I hope you enjoy it."

"Thanks for going through the trouble. Could I maybe drink this in the living room down the hallway?"

"It was no trouble at all. Just be careful; that room was already cleaned."

"I'll make sure to clean up if I do have an accident." Yugi stood with his drink and walked out into the hallway and into the dark, peaceful quiet of one of the living rooms.

Yugi sat down on a plush and comfortable dark blue couch and closed his eyes in relaxation. He didn't know how long he was like that, thinking over everything that day… or yesterday, however you wanted to put it. A creak on the floorboards caused his eyes to flinch slightly at the noise, but otherwise he didn't move. When the warm mug in his hands was gently removed Yugi hasped and opened his eyes.

"Seto…I didn't….I mean I." Yugi stuttered.

"Relax, shrimp, I was just taking one worry of your mind. So, do you want to talk about why you were in the park while it was raining?"

Yugi looked at the hardwood floor, feeling tears come to his eyes as his mind played back the argument he'd had with his grandfather just before he ran out of the game shop only a few hours before. "Not really."

Seto sighed, but sat down beside Yugi in silence. After a pause of what seemed like an eternity to Yugi, the older spoke again. "It would be easier if you just told me, Yugi," using the teen's given name for once instead of some other name like he liked to call everyone else. "If you don't it's only going to eat you from the inside."

Yugi's eyes widened and he felt even more terrible for what happened. Before he even knew what he was doing he threw himself onto Seto's chest and ended up crying out the entire thing to Seto, soaking his night robe during the entire process. "Oh, Seto, I've never felt so terrible in all my life! How am I ever going to apologize to him?" Yugi cried out in his mumbling.

Seto didn't say anything during the entire thing. He felt it better if he didn't say anything other than hold the younger teen close and comfort him as much as he could. When Yugi seemed done with his confession he held the saddened youth tighter and tried his best to make him feel like his life wasn't coming to a complete end.

"I'm not sure what to say, Yugi, that could make you feel better. I never wanted to know who my real parents were since they dumped me and my brother without caring. However, I'll admit you situation is much different since your parents had to give you up without wanting to. I promise you though, if I could anything to make this better or easier for you I would."

"Seto," Yugi choked out. "I don't understand, you always seem so cold towards me like you hate me. Why now?"

"To be honest, I don't want to help you at all." Yugi gasped but otherwise stayed silent, trying to move away. Seto, however, held him closer. "Joey talked me into trying to get you know you better and I thought it was as good as time as any when I saw you leave after looking in the bedroom."

"I meant to be quiet. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it, I was already awake. Now that I've heard what you've been going through I'll admit that I do feel something towards compassion for you now. I promise I'll try to be more understanding towards you."

Yugi gave a watery smile and nodded. "Thanks, Seto."

"Try getting some sleep, Yugi. You look like shit." The CEO joked lightly.

To prove the point further, Yugi yawned. He laid his head down on Seto's chest and closed his eyes. After falling asleep once more, Seto picked the teen up and carried him back up to his room, stopping at the kitchen to tell one of the servants to take care of the mug in the living room.


	7. Making Up

Yugi awoke with the sun shining near his face and he sat up groggily, rubbing his eyes to remove the sleep from them. _'How'd I get back up here?_' He wondered inquisitively after getting a look around. He pushed the covers away from him and stood up on the expensive, plush blue carpet. _'I wonder if anyone else is up.'_ He thought as he pushed open the door.

He made it downstairs and immediately saw Mokuba in the game room with video games surrounding him by the dozen, his focus intent on the large screen of the TV. How Yugi would love to try out a few of the games. He continued on his way to the kitchen and froze at the sight that met him. Joey and Seto were obviously having a good morning wrapped up in each other's embrace with their mouths amorously locked together, their hands moving over the others body intimately. He made to leave quietly, but tripped over an upturned corner of the rug and slammed his back against the wall, effectively causing the CEO and his puppy to break apart hurriedly.

Joey, seeing his friend on the floor, hurried over to him and knelt behind him, asking if he was okay just as Mokuba skid out of the game room to see what had caused the crash. Seto also moved beside him, not asking if he was hurt, but the question obvious in his eyes.

"I-I'm sorry." Yugi stuttered. "I didn't mean t-to look, but I-I…well you see…"

Seto brushed off the apology with a wave of his hand and helped Yugi up; rubbing his hand along the smaller's back to look for any signs of pain.

Realizing what Seto was doing, Yugi pushed him away and shook his head. "Really, I'm fine. I'm sorry, I was just seeing if anyone else was up and figured the kitchen would be a good place to look in the morning." Yugi explained in a rush, lying partly since he knew everyone was up if Mokuba was. It was a known fact Mokuba always woke up after his brother and if his brother was up and then Joey had to be up since the two lovers were barely seen apart from each other.

"Well, thank you for letting me stay the night…and for everything else too." He added the last part looking pointedly at Seto. "I should be getting back to the game shop though. I'm sure my grandpa will be worried about me and I should apologize for my behavior towards him yesterday." Yugi turned and made for the door where his shoes were already placed, when he felt a hand wrap around his arm. Looking over his shoulder he saw Seto giving him a curious look.

"I'm sure you don't want to go outside wearing that, Yugi."

Looking down, Yugi blushed and quickly shook his head.

"Come with me, your clothes should be dry by now. I can give you a ride if you like?"

"No thanks, Seto. I need all the time I can get to think up the best way to apologize to him for the way I acted towards him."

"Very well." He turned to head back to the kitchen before stopping and looking over his shoulder. "I need to speak with you about something else as well. I'll be waiting for you."

Yugi nodded, interested about what else Seto wanted to talk to him about. After getting dressed and folding the robe he had worn for the night on the counter, Yugi headed back to the kitchen for Seto. He was careful about looking around the corner but was relieved to see Seto and Joey in separate chairs eating breakfast in silence. "Seto?"

The CEO looked up and nodded, excusing himself from the table. He led Yugi silently to the front door before looking down at him. "You should accept Yami." He said all of a sudden.

Yugi couldn't help the rather large blush that came over his face and looked down in embarrassment. "How did you find out?"

"He spoke with me about the incident while you were trying to avoid him."

If possible, Yugi's blush darkened. "I see." He whispered.

"If it helps any, I did the same thing with Joey when I asked him out."

Yugi looked up suddenly, all thoughts of embarrassment dispersed. "Y-you did?"

Seto nodded. "I was nervous about asking him and I lost my cool. I accidentally hurt him while dragging to a secluded area of the park since I had tuned out everything except how I was going to ask him. He also became angry with me, but after I apologized he accepted and said he felt the same way. I realize how its different for you though since you've been chased by bullies for most of your life and are unable to defend very easily against them like Joey can. That's why I'm telling you this. You should accept Yami's offer. He's a nice person and you need someone who can make you happy."

Yugi smiled and nodded. "Yeah," a frown quickly replaced his features thought, "but I've acted so coldly towards him and told I don't want to see him again after he kept trying to apologize to me. How can I get near him now? And Seru said he was going to help me, I can't go back on our deal now."

"Yami isn't listening to what Seru's telling him though."

Yugi's eyes widened. "He isn't? I guess I'll have to talk to him then."

"If I may, you should just try being direct rather than apologizing for how you rejected him."

"Thanks for the advice. First I'll talk to my grandpa though." Yugi reached over for the handle on the front door but stopped and wrapped his arms quickly around Seto, hugging him tightly. "Thank you for everything, Seto."

Seto was surprised by the gesture, but hugged the smaller back all the same after a few seconds of hesitation. "Don't worry about it."

Yugi released the CEO and opened the door, running down the path for the front gates. He ran the whole way to the game shop and burst through the door, startling the customers paying for their purchases.

"Yugi?" Solomon gasped. He finished up quickly with the customer; glad there wasn't anyone else and hurried over to his grandson, hugging him tightly. "I was so worried about you. Why didn't you come home last night?"

"I'm sorry, grandpa, for everything. I shouldn't have acted that way because of something that couldn't be helped. And I'm sorry for not coming home last night. I met Seto and Joey in the park and they helped me and let me stay with them."

"I'm just relieved you aren't hurt. You don't have a fever do you? It started to rain last night and I couldn't find you anywhere."

"You went looking for me? Oh, grandpa, I'm so sorry. No, I feel just fine. I have to go though. I have to apologize to a friend of mine for the way I acted towards them."

"You mean Yami?"

Yugi gasped and looked back at his grandpa incredulously. "How do you know about that?"

"He came over early this morning looking for you. He dropped this off." He picked up a yellow rose off the counted and handed it to Yugi. "He also said that he was sorry for how he acted and he wished you could still be friends somehow."

Yugi took the rose and sniffed, forcing his tears back. "Thank you, grandpa. I have to go." He ran out of the game shop.

Yugi stood gasping for breath in front of Yami's house. He was scared to knock on the door, but he knew he had to now or else he wouldn't be able to do it later.

He closed his eyes and readied himself to knock on the door when…

"Yugi?"

Yugi's eyes broke open and he looked behind him. "Yami?"

Yami's eyes looked down to Yugi's hand and looked away quickly. "You…don't like it?"

"Huh?" Yugi looked at the rose and quickly shook his head. "No, no, it's fine, I love it. It's very beautiful, Yami. Thank you."

"Really?"

Yugi nodded and, remembering what Seto had advised him, stepped forward with a determined expression on his face. "Ask me again."

Yami was shocked by the direct statement and shook his head in disbelief. "What?"

"Ask me again." Yugi repeated, now afraid Yami wouldn't want to go out with him anymore.

"A-ask you again? About what?" Yami asked, now confused.

"You know," Yugi blushed, "about…going out with you." An audible gulp was heard from the younger.

"Are-are you sure?"

Yugi sighed and nodded. "Yes, Yami; please, just ask me."

Yami also sighed and looked away, rubbing his arm nervously and practically forcing himself not to lose his control again. "Yugi, would you please…that is I…I would very much appreciate it if you would consider going steady with me?"

Yugi smiled and moved forward still, wrapping his arms around Yami and hiding his face in his shirt; his smile broadened when he felt two hesitant and unsure arms wrap around him in response. "I would love to, Yami. Nothing would make me happier than to have you as my boyfriend…but…" He whispered.

Yami's eyes widened and he tried pushing Yugi away. _'How could he do this to me? Is he trying to cause me a broken heart? How could he just ask me to do this and turn me away again?'_

"But," Yugi continued after a second, "I can't."

"Yugi…"

The younger shook his head to cut Yami off before continuing. "I don't know much of anything about you, Yami. Only that you're a good friend and don't like seeing people hurt. I do like you, Yami, but I would like to know a few things about my boyfriend before I go out with them. So in answer to your question: I will go out with you, but only when I learn more about you. Can you do this for me?"

A small smile replaced the heart-breaking frown on Yami's face and he nodded, holding Yugi tighter to him. "Thank you, Yugi." Yami whispered back, truly happy that Yugi felt the same way as he did. _'How could I be so stupid? Yugi is that kind of person who likes to know about their friends. I'll admit I haven't told him much of anything except for one of my hobbies and a few of my dislikes.'_

After finally pulling away from each other they looked up at each other and smiled. "Can we just forget that whole pointless argument never happened?" Yugi asked.

"Sure, Yugi; anything for you."

Yugi rewarded Yami with a heart-melting smile and took his hand. "I feel like going for a walk in the park. Do you want to come with me?"

Yami nodded and let himself be led out, hoping this was a chance being given to start letting Yugi get to know him. If that be the case, than he was eager to get started. The faster Yugi learned about him, the faster he might agree to go out with him. A frown replaced his features as a thought dawned on him. "Does this mean we're still friends, Yugi?"

Yugi's step faltered and he paused, looking back at Yami with a frown, but just for a second before he shook his head. "No, I would call this the point between friends where we have feelings for each other and we know of the other's feelings but we're not going out."

"So if someone were to ask you out what would you say?"

"I would say 'thanks, but I already have my calendar full for another person.' What about you?"

"I would say the same."

"So no worries then." Yugi squeezed Yami's hand comfortingly and continued to lead the way to the park, only slowing down when they reached the entrance to one of the paths leading around and through the recreational area. "So…what do you like to do for fun?" Yugi started off.

"Well, I guess my motorcycle for one, the wind is just…I don't know…comforting I guess." Yami started with embarrassment. He had to admit, he did feel a bit stupid…it was like he was having an interview to be someone's best friend or something weird like that, but if it made Yugi happy he would do it. _'It's strange; I've never felt like this before. Usually, I would just say it was a waste of time and move on, but not with Yugi.'_

"Anything else?" Yugi asked with interest.

"I like games like Duel Monsters and mind-busters like that."

"Really?" Yugi asked excitedly. "I do too!" He jumped around so he was standing in front of Yami, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "I'm working on this one puzzle; it's a 3D one. It's really challenging and takes up a lot of time so I haven't been able to work on it lately. I'm going to try this weekend though."

Yami felt some tension leave his shoulders and smiled. Yugi didn't seem to feel awkward at all about this. _'Maybe I'm just making a big deal out of nothing.'_

"What else? What else do you like to do?"

"Well, I like ice-cream."

"Really? I didn't know that was a hobby," he teased.

"Well…I…"

Yugi waved it off with a smile and continued walking. "What kind?"

"Rocky-road mostly, but also cookie-dough."

"Those are my all-time favorites! You can even ask my grandpa; I get cravings for them all the time! If I feel like it at three in the morning and there isn't any in the fridge I will practically force my grandpa to go out and find some for me. He's only done that once though. Now he just kicks me out of the house with a few dollars and tells me to get it myself."

"Well, I'm not that obsessed by it does work for my cravings." Yami laughed.

It continued on for what Yami thought would be hours of embarrassment, but really Yugi made everything easier for him and it seemed like they only just started when they were standing in front of Yami's driveway. When he looked back on it though, Yugi had asked him everything from his favorite color to his all-time worst nightmare that he could remember to any kind of fantasy he'd ever thought about; not once did Yugi make fun of him when he admitted, with utmost mortification, all the sexual fantasies and wet dreams he'd had; Yugi had admitted that he hadn't meant those when he asked about fantasies but was glad Yami felt comfortable enough to tell them. Yami had to flush at that and ended up telling Yugi he hadn't been but glad Yugi thought that of him.

"I suppose I should get going now." Yugi admitted grudgingly. "I had a fun time today, Yami. Thanks for doing this for me; I know you must be weirded out by it, but I have had a few people ask me out for the dumbest of reasons and I ended up regretting them for the longest of times; especially my first kiss."

"So you have had your first kiss already?" Yami asked him, upset by the now known fact.

"Unfortunately, yes. The dumb baka stole it from me and I dumped him on the spot when I heard him bragging about it. That's why I don't hold much regard towards junior years."

"You were going out with a junior? How old were you?" Yami asked in disbelief.

"I was about a week in my freshmen year. I'll admit I was surprised, but later found out it was just a bet to see who could get the quiet little kid to give up his first kiss and virginity to. I'm just glad I found out before I did something I would regret for the rest of my life."

"Me too." Yami agreed. "That would be awful to find out after sharing something that's supposed to be a wonderful experience for the rest of your life."

Yugi nodded and turned away from Yami. "You know," he blushed, "I've never told anyone about that point of my life before. I just told my friends that we broke up because we knew in our hearts we weren't meant for each other."

"I see, thank you for trusting me with it."

Yugi nodded and headed down the street towards the direction of the game shop. "I'll see you later, Yami. I had a wonderful day; we should hang out more often." He turned around with a smile plastered on his face as he continued to walk backwards. "Not like today though, I meant having fun; maybe go for ice-cream sometime. I don't think you'd appreciate me questioning you every time we did something together. Oh! And you better show me some of your artwork!" He half-threatened before turning and running down the street.

Yami watched him go before turning towards the house and cursed. "I wanted my parents to meet him. Maybe…next time…hopefully." He spoke to himself as he walked by his parents' car to the front door. _'I can't believe I didn't notice the car before. I'm sure Yugi could've come in for a few minutes.'_ He sighed as he walked in the front door and called out, "Tadaima!"


	8. Arguments

"Yami!" Yugi hollered from across the school yard. The freshmen scattered hurriedly, thinking he was one of _those_ kinds of seniors that picked on the new guys.

Yami turned and smiled brightly at the oncoming attack, opening his arms to accept it. Just like always Yugi charged into his arms and attached his lips to his own, as was the usual greeting since the two became comfortable as a couple.

"Good morning, Yugi. You look excited this morning." Yami commented once they separated and started towards the front of the school, holding hands.

"Yup; grandpa said I could have the day off after school so I can go to the movies with you. I've been dying to see that one that just came out."

"That's good." Yami looked down at Yugi from the corner of his eyes and smiled slightly at him. He always enjoyed watching the youth.

The two had been going out for a good year now. It, at first, surprised Yami how tolerate the school was over things like that; even the faculty thought they were adorable together. Some younger student from a year below them that they didn't even know came up to them and said, "It's about time you two got together. Because you took your sweet time I lost my bet," and she stomped off. When she had gone around the corner Yugi and Yami couldn't help but burst into fits of laughter.

The one thing that worried Yami the most about the relationship was his parents. They'd met Yugi a few times during their time together and seemed to always stare at the picture of himself and Yugi standing together in front of a tree in the park, more so Yugi than the whole picture. He hadn't questioned them about what they felt about Yugi since he was sure they'd say something if they disapproved of something, but, then again, what was to disapprove. Yugi was perfect; at least in his eyes he was.

His parents also seemed very nervous about things like whenever he would kiss Yugi, even a peck on the cheek. Their shoulders seemed to tense up and they would look like they wanted to say something to him, but took one glance at Yugi and turned away.

His parents were out for a few days though for business and Yami had something planned; something that him and Yugi had sometimes talked about but ended up stopping because of interruptions or other annoying distractions. Since Yami was going to be alone, his parents offered to let him have a friend stay over with him so he wouldn't get lonely and Yami had invited Yugi; both were excited

"I brought my stuff in my backpack," Yugi interrupted Yami's thoughts.

"Oh, that's cool." Yami said absentmindedly.

"Is something wrong?" Yugi asked, stopping in the middle of the hall and holding Yami's hand tightly so he couldn't keep going.

"Wha? Oh, no, of course not. I've just been thinking of something lately."

"What kind of something?" Yugi asked, starting to walk again.

"You'll find out soon, Yugi. Don't worry about it, okay?"

"Okay. Well, there's my evil homeroom," Yugi stuck out his tongue. "I'll see you at lunch then, Yami?"

"Naturally, unless you were thinking of stealing a few kisses with that guy in your third period I've noticed him staring at you in the halls."

"He has?" Yugi asked in disbelief.

Yami nodded.

Yugi smiled back in response. "Don't worry, Yami. You can escort me personally to our friends if it will make you feel better."

"I would've done it even if you didn't have a secret admirer." Yami admitted, chuckling slightly as he waved goodbye to Yugi.

After school Yugi and Yami were walking side-by-side down the sidewalk together. Yugi was on his cell phone telling his grandpa that he wouldn't be coming home just like was planned before hanging up with a sigh. "A three day weekend," he stretched happily, "isn't it great, Yami?"

"Hmm." Yami answered back.

"Is something wrong, Yami? You've seem to have your head somewhere else today. Last period you seemed totally out of it."

"Yeah, I'm fine. It'll be over with this weekend hopefully; I promise." He added the last part when he saw Yugi's 'how do I know you're not going to fake being happy to get me off your back' look.

"Okay then."

"Say, Yugi?"

"Yeah."

"Can we…have that talk about…" Yami looked around quickly before taking a deep breath and continuing. "Can we talk about that one thing that always seems to get interrupted?"

A large blush appeared flashed onto Yugi's cheeks and he looked up at Yami with wide eyes. "Well I-I…that is I…mean to say…" Yugi couldn't seem to string two words together.

"Why don't you just nod or shake your head?"

The blush deepened and the younger looked away embarrassedly; he nodded.

Yami smiled and they continued on in silence.

Sitting on the bed, Yugi looked embarrassedly out the window, waiting nervously for Yami to start talking since he couldn't seem to remember how to at the moment.

"Yugi, are you sure you want to do this now? We don't have to if you don't want to."

"No, it's fine; don't worry about it."

"Do you feel like you're ready to do it then?"

Yugi blushed and looked around to the back wall; anywhere but at Yami. "I-I guess I am… but I can't help being scared of it either. I've never been with anyone I li…no, I love so much."

"And I love you, Yugi, you know that, right?"

"Yes, but I'm still scared. I suppose I might always be until we actually do something." Yugi finally had the nerve to look over and Yami and smile lightly at him. Yami smiled back and leant down to give him a comforting kiss.

"I just wanted to know if you knew if you were ready for…such commitment. How bout doing something a bit less embarrassing for you then? How bout you beat me in video games?"

Yugi's face brightened and he nodded eagerly, like a little kid in a candy store and his mother told him he can have as much as he wanted. He stood and raced out into the living room to set up the playstation.

"Yami, tadaima!" Yami's mother called out.

"Hi, mom! I'm in the living room!" Yami called back loudly.

Yami's mom and dad walked in the room to see what his son was up to and froze nervously at the sight of Yugi also sitting on the floor, almost in their son's lap.

"Oh, hello, Yugi. We didn't think you'd be here." Mrs. Jikiro stated quietly, her hands wringing uncomfortably together.

"We thought you were coming over later tonight." Yami's dad added.

"I was going to, but then it didn't make much sense to come by later if I already walk with Yami most of the way so we just decided for me to bring my stuff to school and then walk here with Yami." Yugi explained, pausing the game to look up at the two adults.

"I see." The two said at the same time. "We'll just be in the kitchen then." And they left quickly.

Yami growled lightly under his breath; he couldn't believe how his parents were treating Yugi. His boyfriend might not be able to see, but he certainly could and this time he wasn't going to let them get away with it. "Yugi, why don't you put it on one-player mode? I need to ask my parents something and I don't know how long I'll be."

Yugi gave him a curious look but smiled and nodded none the less. Yami smirked at him before standing and heading into the kitchen. "I think we need to talk about something," Yami stated firmly, closing the sliding door behind him so Yugi wouldn't hear in case he started yelling.

"Of course, sweetie; is there a problem?" His mother smiled.

"Don't go 'sweetie' me, mom." Yami sneered, his eyes flashing dangerously. "I know you two have some kind of problem with Yugi so spit it out and tell me what it is. There's no possible way there could be anything wrong with him that you're making such a big deal out of."

"N-nothing's wrong, Yami. Why in the world would you say something like that?"

"Because you always tense up whenever you see us together that's less than three feet apart and you're always making up some excuse to leave as soon as possible whenever he's over!"

"There's no reason to shout, Yami."

"I'm not shouting! I just want to know what you guys' problem with Yugi is!"

"He might hear you, Yami. Now stop being so impolite and go be with him; he's your guest after all and you're being rude by neglecting him."

"Yugi's told me this place is like a second home for him because he's comfortable here. He might not be able to see how you're treating him because he either doesn't see it or chooses to ignore it because you don't know him well enough! Not that I can see that excuse working for well because you don't even try staying in a room with him for five minutes! I bet if I left you alone with him you'd break his heart with all the cruel things you could say to him!"

"Yami, stop shouting or he'll hear you!"

"I think," a whisper sounded from behind Yami, causing his crimson eyes to widen in fear. He spun around on his heel and felt his insides grow cold. Yugi stood there with shining tears in his eyes as he leant against the wall, most probably for support lest his legs were too weak to hold him up. "I think I should go home."

"Yugi…" Yami started.

"It's fine; I'm fine. Don't worry about it. I just remembered I forgot to tell grandpa his…his medication order came in and our phone hasn't been working very well lately. I'll just got over and tell him real quick." Yugi lied. He turned and walked surprisingly steadily out of the room and out the front door.

Yami turned on his parents and glared at them.

"He'll be coming back, Yami; don't give us that look. At least you know he cares for his grandfather."

"His grandpa doesn't take medication." Yami said in an emotionless voice. "All because you lied to me and didn't tell me what the problem is! You're probably glad this happened!" Yami turned and ran out the front door, hoping to catch up with Yugi before he reached the game shop; what was coming he sure didn't want an audience with.

He was relieved when he saw a flash of dark, spiky hair go into the park and he forced himself to go faster.

"Should we tell Yami the truth?" Mrs. Jikiro asked, looking out the window as she watched her son run out the door and down the sidewalk.

"I thought we agreed we wouldn't. We agreed that Yugi wasn't…wasn't who we thought he was."

"We did, but our attitude about him hasn't changed at all. You know just as well as I do that Yugi is Yami's brother! You remember that one, don't you! The one we lost and were never able to get back! The one we promised ourselves we would never see or tell him the truth! The one we swore we'd never tell Yami about no matter what the cost!" Mrs. Jikiro shouted, his voice going louder with every sentence. "We never expected him to actually date his own twin though!"

"Yugi isn't our son anymore."

"But he still has our blood! Isn't it wrong to let our son continue dating someone who he's related to! Who was born with on the same day by the same mother!"

"We aren't a family if we don't grow together. Yugi has his grandfather and his two parents that died last year." With that said, Mr. Jikiro turned and headed into the bedroom to grab his and his wives bags for the trip.

"You're still planning to go?"

"We have to go; it's business after all. We can't just call in at the last minute and tell them that there's a sudden change of plan because we decided to tell our only son that he has a twin brother who he's happening to be dating at the moment."

"Yugi?"

Yugi looked up, wiping his nose on the sleeve of his shirt. "I-I just got a little dizzy; that's all, no problem."

"Don't kid yourself."

Yugi gasped and nodded, looking down at his hands sitting in his lap. Yami walked over and sat beside him, wrapping his around him and pulling him closer to him, letting Yugi hide his face in his chest.

"Why don't they like me, Yami?" Yugi choked out, letting his tears fall freely.

"I don't know, Yugi, I don't know. I can tell you this though," Yami pushed the younger up so he could look in his eyes. "I can tell you that I will always love you, no matter what anyone else says; I promise. I want you to stay with me this weekend."

"But your parents-"

"Are leaving," Yami interrupted. "It's business; they can't get out of it last minute." He glanced down at his watch. "They should be leaving by now. By the time we get back to my place they'll be long gone. How bout we walk back to my place, get something warm to eat, and watch a movie?"

Yugi responded with a watery smile. "Okay, Yami."

They stood and walked back out the park.

"Say it again, Yami." Yugi whispered halfway back to the house.

"Say what?" Yami asked curiously.

"That you'll love me no matter what."

Yami was surprised by the request and brought Yugi closer to his side. "I'll love you no matter what."

"Thanks. I-I will too; I'll love you for always."

Yami found the house key under the welcome mat and let Yugi and himself in before locking the door again. "What would you like to eat?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Alright then, let's see if I can get you poisoned with my horrible cooking. Then I'll be the loving boyfriend I am and stay by your hospital bed all night."

"Haha, that's so funny." Yugi giggled. "I'll go pick out a movie; want anything in particular?"

"Nope." Yami called back from the kitchen.

Setting things out the table to decide what to make Yugi noticed a note on the table from his parents. He picked it up reluctantly and read it.

_Yami_

_We're sorry for how we acted. We promise to try to get to know Yugi a bit more when we get back home. Could you tell him we apologize for the way we acted for us? We'll call tomorrow if it's too late when we check into the hotel. Have a wonderful weekend._

_Love_

_Mom and Dad_

Yami smiled lightly and put the note aside to start dinner. _'Maybe now things can work out they were supposed to be from the beginning.'_ Yami thought hopefully.


	9. To Be Together

Sleep-filled eyes blinked open once, twice before they stayed completely open and let the haziness fade away. Yami turned slightly on his side and smiled at the angelic sleeping face of his boyfriend beside him. He looked over to the TV and frowned at the snow showing. He picked up the remote from the floor unconsciously and turned it and the VCR off. They would probably end up watching the rest of the movie from where they fell asleep at later when they couldn't think of anything else to do. The figure beside him started to move and he looked over just as violet eyes blinked open and focused on himself.

"Morning, Yami." Yugi slurred.

"Morning, love. Did you sleep well?" Yami asked after giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Yup." The younger smiled. A frown came over his face after a second and he lifted up to look over at the TV. "We didn't get to finish the movie."

"We can finish it later if you want."

"I'm curious to see what happens." A growl brought a small blush over Yugi's cheeks.

"Well I suppose I can't have you starving while you're here or your grandfather wouldn't let you sleep over more often." He rolled off the side of the couch and landed on his feet, holding out his hand for Yugi to take. "Let's go find something to eat."

Yugi rubbed his eyes with one hand and took the offered hand in his other, allowing himself to be led into the kitchen and be pushed gently into a chair while Yami looked around the kitchen.

"We've got pancake mix, is that good?"

Yugi's eyes brightened slightly. "Do you have any almonds? And chocolate chips?"

Yami rummaged around the pantry and pulled out a bag in each hand, one filled with almonds and the other filled with chocolate chips. "You and I have a lot in common; this is my favorite."

"Mine too! Can I help?"

"Sure; you can mix and I'll flip them."

Yugi nodded and jumped over to the fridge to pull out the eggs and milk as well as a medium sized bowl from a cupboard.

"That was good, Yami. We make a good team."

"Most definitely, and we have some left over for lunch or maybe dinner." Yami smirked, less work to do when we get hungry again. He leaned over and kissed Yugi on the cheek.

"Yami," Yugi started when Yami pulled away, "did you mean what you asked before? About us… moving our relationship further?" A blush darkened the youth's cheeks and he fumbled with the edge of his shirt.

"Only if you want to, Yugi. I'll wait as long as you need."

"It won't… it's won't change anything between us, will it?"

A frown came over Yami's face as he looked at Yugi for a second. "What do you mean?"

"We've been based completely on an emotionally relationship with a few kisses and hugs every so often and I'm fine with that. If we move on to a physical relationship I'm afraid it'll change how we feel about each other and we'll be different, that we'll only have the physical relationship and no longer an emotionally one where we truly love each other; it's the thing I cherish most about us being together. The way I can trust you unconditionally and that I can always come to you and you'll always know the right thing to say."

"That will never change between us, Yugi, I promise it won't. And if it does end up turning into that than I promise we'll stop and catch up with things."

"You promise?"

"Of course I promise. I don't have any reason nor want to lie to you."

"Will it… will it hurt bad?" Yugi asked, a shiver coming over his lithe form.

"We'll take it as slow as you want. Though, I won't lie. I've heard things and it will hurt at first, but it will it get better."

"I want to… try it."

Yami nodded and moved slightly closer, kissing Yugi fully on the mouth and slipping tongue out to toy with the younger's bottom lip before he slipped it in completely, crawling over on top of Yugi slowly so he wouldn't startle him. He had almost dreamed of this moment and he wouldn't have Yugi scared.

After pulling away to breathe their breath came in short gasps and their cheeks were slightly flushed. Yami settled his weight onto Yugi's small form comfortably, making sure Yugi could still breathe and move easily.

For a moment all he could do was stare into Yugi's eyes. He loved the way they sparkled with life and he was thoroughly enjoying the fact that they had darkened in the slightest of ways. The pink tint to his cheeks came him a healthy flush and he couldn't only find a smile, a contented tweak of his lips coming up at the thoughts of what they would be doing. He was just about to move in for another kiss when Yugi's hands pushing slightly at his chest stopped him.

He looked questioningly into Yugi's eyes. "Is something wrong?"

Yugi shook his head and quickly and looked away in embarrassment. "If I asked you to…would you…would you stop?"

Yami tensed and his mouth was opened in a silent 'o' and for a second all he could was stare at Yugi before he relaxed again. He brought his hand up and caressed Yugi's cheek gently before pushing it so Yugi's eyes looked into his once more. "I will always stop when you ask me to, Yugi. I'd never do anything to intentionally hurt you." He paused and admired the beauty of Yugi's face and how his violet eyes softened when he finished speaking. "Do you want to keep going?"

Yugi blushed slightly but nodded and this time he brought his face up and sealed their lips together. Yami didn't have any objections of course and only gladly pushed back into the kiss and closed his eyes in contentment. It wasn't long before his lower half became restless and started to unconsciously rub against the closest thing, which happened to be Yugi's own lower half.

The younger teen gasped slightly and pulled away from the kiss, parched for air and hiding his face in Yami's shoulder as the older continued to rub against his own growing hardness.

'_I've never felt like this before. What's this strange feeling?'_ Yugi wondered as he continued to pant into Yami's shoulder. He suppressed a moan as Yami started to push harder against him.

"Let go, Yugi." Yami whispered into his ear.

Yugi's eyes widened and pulled slightly away, but no enough for Yami to see his face._ 'Did…was his voice deeper? Huskier?'_

"Don't be so tense; enjoy yourself and tell me when you want to stop. I'll understand if you don't want to go all the way today."

Yugi nodded and began to breathe into Yami's shoulder again, noticing he was taking in deeper breaths by now and was surprised when his hips pushed against Yami's of their own accord.

Yami moaned above him and the younger didn't bother to suppress the shutter at the feeling of it rumbling against his chest.

Hands wriggled under Yugi's shirt and splayed over his creamy skin, massaging into the flesh and moving upward to play with his nipples. A moan reached Yugi's ears and it took a second to realize it had come from him when Yami startled to chuckle against him.

"It seems as though I've found a sensitive spot, ne, Yugi?"

Yugi nodded without thinking and moved against Yami, instinctively wanting to get closer.

Yami away slightly, causing a light whimper from Yugi, and pulled his shirt away. He rested back down against Yugi and enjoyed the new sensation of feeling only Yugi's skin beneath his own shirt. He was pleased when small hands, however hesitant and unsure they were, reached under his skin and stroked lightly over his back to feel his own flesh.

He suppressed a laugh when a small growl reached his ears when Yugi's hand got tangled in his shirt and he pulled them out from underneath the material to sit up. He removed his shirt and moved slowly back down, all while gazing into Yugi's beautifully darkened amethyst eyes, only releasing their hold when the shirt passed over his eyes.

Neither could back a gasp when their skin pressed together and the low moan that followed.

"Perfect." Yami whispered into Yugi's ear before giving it a lick and pulled back to look in his eyes. He saw Yugi's small nod before pressing their lips together and tangled their tongues together as their hands once again moved against the other's skin of their own accord.

Yami's hands finally drifted down and unbuttoned Yugi's jeans and pulled the zipper down. Yugi's hands halfheartedly tried getting him to stop but after a few more well placed kisses he could only drip at the sides of the couch as soon as his pants were slowly pulled down along with his boxers.

"Ya-Yami…" He panted for breath as his boyfriend toyed with his erection and circling the base. He licked his lips and tried again a little louder. "Yami?"

He felt those darkened crimson eyes looked up at him, a mischievous smile hidden in their depths. "It isn't – it's not fair that I'm the only – only one." He cracked his own eyes open just in time to see Yami's nod.

"You're right." Yugi blushed and unconsciously curled into himself to keep Yami's gaze off his exposed parts. His blush only deepened when Yami pushed away from the couch and took off his own pants and boxers.

Yami smiled over at Yugi, but frowned when he saw he moved. "Don't do that, Yugi." He whispered huskily. He leaned down and pulled his legs away from his chest. "Don't ever try hiding, Yugi. You're a very beautiful creature…the most beautiful being that could ever walk this earth."

Yugi turned away, fighting the darker blush coming on. He was surprised he had fainted dead away with how much blood was in his face rather than circulating the rest of his face with half the blood in his lower half and the half covering his cheeks in a deep red. "I can't help it…I'm so embarrassed that i…"

Two fingers were placed over his lips and he looked over at the taller boy. "Never feel embarrassed for being perfect."

"But I'm not…" He tried to argue.

"In my eyes, nothing could be more perfect than having you happy. Never lose you're smile, Yugi. For me?"

Yugi smiled lightly and nodded. "For you…and only you." He kissed Yami's fingertips and brought them gently into his mouth to suck on them.

Yami moaned and laid down evenly over Yugi's lithe body, enjoying the sensations coming over him as Yugi suckled and bits at his fingers. After a particularly loud groan he pulled them away and looked up at Yugi, not wanting to move his cheek away from the heartbeat thumping loudly through his head. "As enjoyable as that is, I can think of a much better idea."

The smaller boy wriggled underneath him in delight at the lust-filled voice and nodded. "Show me?" He begged.

Yami nodded and slightered down his body slowly, purposely letting his heated, slightly sweaty skin to rub against the tip of Yugi's hardened flesh, causing moans to rumble in Yugi's throat. When his mouth stopped just at the tip though Yugi's eyes widened and his body nearly jumped away in surprise.

"You're not going to…"

He never finished his sentence as a warmth spread over him as Yami's mouth enveloped him completely, first at the tip where he licked and sucked at the precum before sliding slowly down all the way to the base and gave what looked like a smile before smallowing around him.

Yugi couldn't help but scream and buck helplessly into Yami's mouth. When he heard coughing however he stilled and stared down at Yami with fear and concern in his eyes and face.

"Yami…I'm so sorry, I…"

The older boy however ignored him and moved his hands to his hips to hold him down before moving back down over his erection and toyed with him again.

Yugi moaned loudly when he felt his completion come to him and he slumped back down against the couch as he let his high carry him away. He felt a warm body cover his own and smiled up at the familiar face as his vision began to clear once more.

"That was…"

"Perfect." Yami finished for him. "Let's move further." He said before his hand trailed around to Yugi's back to find his puckered entrance.

Yugi had enough time to register what that meant before a finger pushed against his ring of muscle. "Yami…Yami no." He said tiredly but firmly.

Yami immediately stopped and pulled away. "What's wrong?"

"I… I don't want to move so fast. I do love you Yami…but I…I want to take once thing at a time."

"As you wish, Yugi, my beautiful Yugi." Yami kissed him on his swollen red and wet lips and cuddled against the crook of his neck.

Yugi frowned when he felt Yami's still present hardness pressing harshly against the outside of his thigh. An idea came to him and, although he somehow felt exhausted even after waking up, he wanted to help Yami even if he wasn't up to returning the exact favor.

His hand slid lazily down Yami's back, ghosting his fingertips lightly before coming around to the front to take hold of Yami's hard on.

A gasp was his only reply before Yami groaned out his name. "You…don't have to…" Yami started to gasp out as the small hand around him tightened and started to move up and down.

"I want to." Was his answer. A kiss was given to his forehead and they stayed there the entire time until Yami jerked and released himself over the couch, his and Yugi's stomach.

He reached over a grabbed a blanket that had been thrown off once they had gotten hot last night and wiped away the evidence of their play.

"Remind me to throw that in the washer when we wake up?" Yami asked lazily as he dropped it and returned to his half awake state with his head resting on Yugi's shoulder.

He felt a slightly nod against him before he fell away into the darkness of sleep. Yugi wasn't far behind him.

I know! It took forever to get it out. With school and dance I've been exhausted and I just didn't know how to write this since it hadn't been in my original plans. This story is starting to write itself, but I'll get back on track in no time (hopefully). Well, I got school tomorrow and I was supposed to be in bed an hour ago but I started this chapter and it's been screaming at me to finish it this whole day.

I suppose with a lot of things going on I haven't been in the mood to write. I was hoping to finish this story before my mind went on a break.


	10. Sunsets and Phone Calls

When Yugi awoke a few hours later he felt very content and relaxed. It took him a minute to remember why he felt this way, but when he did a smile cracked onto his dry lips and he opened his eyes. What met him was Yami's equally relaxed face resting peacefully over his shoulder like it had been when he fell asleep. He couldn't resist leaning over and pressing a kiss to Yami's temple.

Yami squirmed lightly and groaned in irritation as he shifted and the morning sun shone on his eyes. He opened them and rubbed them lightly, trying hard not to move away from the warm body halfway underneath him. A smile came over his face and he looked up at Yugi. "Morning," he said sleepily.

Yugi giggled and nodded. "I think we need to get a shower. I feel a little sticky."

The older nodded and pushed on the couch to get up. "Yeah, me too."

Amethyst eyes glanced at the floor and realization on dawned on his face before he pointed to the heap of clothes and the discarded blanket on the floor. "You wanted me to remind you to put that in the washer when we woke up."

Yami's gaze followed his finger and he nodded. "So I did. Why don't you go get the shower ready and I'll join you as soon as I'm done."

A light blush faded onto Yugi's cheeks, "J-join me?"

Crimson eyes sparkled with amusement at his boyfriend's embarrassment. "Why Yugi, I'm amazed. After what we did only a few hours ago and now you're embarrassed to get in the shower with little old me?"

"N-no, I'm not-not embarrassed." Yugi lied miserably.

"I'm sure you're not." Yami smirked. He leant over and brushed his lips teasingly over Yugi's before pulling away. "I'll wait until you're done then."

A breath of relief escaped Yugi's lips before he could stop it and he blushed again. "Sorry, Yami."

"Don't worry about it." He stood up and held out a hand to Yugi, who took it and pulled himself up. "No hurry up and don't waste the hot water or I'll be forced to take drastic measures." He smirked evilly.

Yugi couldn't help a squeak as he hurried away from his crazed boyfriend and dashed into the bathroom before he got his punishment before he even got in the shower. As soon as the door was closed however his dark blush lightened until it was just a pink hue and Yugi smiled. _'I'm glad he's all mine. I don't think I could give him up now even if he wanted to go… but what happens when Yami gets tired of me…'_ Yami shook his head and scolded himself for thinking such things. _'I can't go on like that! Whatever happens will happen and there won't be anything I can do to change it… even if that means what I'm most afraid of.'_

Getting out of the shower Yugi dried his hair and pulled a towel around his waist to go get his clothes. He was surprised, however, when he saw a small pile of clothes waiting for him on top of the hamper with a small note taped on top of the shirt.

Yugi read it, his eyes widening in disbelief as he did. "Yami…" he squeaked out, the blush returning and darkening to cherry red. He threw his clothes on hastily and stormed out of the bathroom. "Yami!"

"Yes, love?"

"Why did you….how could you….you're not going to say stuff like this in public, are you?"

"Is that what's making you all nervous? Well, if it'll make you feel better I'll only say that sort of thing when I'm sure you and I are completely and utterly alone."

"If that's the case, and if this note is anything to go by, then if I were that alone with you you'd end up jumping me."

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea." Yami mused thoughtfully.

"Wait, no! I didn't mean that! I meant that…."

"Yugi, relax, I wouldn't ever do anything like that without your complete consent first. Now, if you gave me permission to jump you than I would."

"Well, I don't think I'm ready for that just yet."

"Alright then." Yami strolled over to where Yugi was standing and wrapped his arms around his slim waist, nuzzling his nose into the shorter's slightly wet, apple-scented hair. "Hmm," he moaned in contentment, "those clothes really do make you as delicious as you tasted last night, and you smell that good as well."

Yugi jumped and pushed Yami away with a darker blush on his cheeks. "Yami!"

"What, we're alone. Besides, the note says the same thing."

"Yeah, but it's embarrassing even more to actually hear it."

"Well, don't. It's true and I don't want any arguments. Now then, why don't you eat up while I go take my own shower and then we'll go out and do something?"

"Where are we going to go?"

"I'm not sure; think about it and tell me when I get out."

Yugi nodded and watched Yami walk around the corner before sighing. "At least he's not going to talk like that in public. I never thought I could blush so much before," he sighed happily. He sat down at the table and pulled the syrup and butter over to decorate his pancakes.

Amethyst eyes closed as their owner laid his head gently onto the warm body beside him. "I like this, Yami; it's so peaceful." He felt Yami's head nod softly beside him and he opened his eyes. "Don't you think it's great we get this whole place to ourselves? I was so surprised when there was no one here."

"Me too." Yami whispered, enjoying the wind playing through his spiky locks. "I thought there would be a few people, but I guess I thought wrong."

"It just makes it all the more special."

"Yeah."

"Yami?"

"Hmm?"

"Can we stay here until the sun sets?"

"Anything you want, Yugi; I could never refuse you anything."

Yugi smiled and snuggled up beside Yami's side once again, humming in contentment when he felt an arm snake around his waist and hold him there lovingly.

Both sat watching waves lap against the poles of the dock and brush over their bare feet as they hung them over the edge of the pier. The sky was beginning to darken and it wouldn't be long before it was stained with reds and violets and blues of different tints and hues.

At one point as they watched the sunset together Yami could've sworn he saw the slightest of flashes coming from behind them, but he didn't have the heart to turn around and disturb Yugi from where he was leaning, so he just chose to ignore it and continue looking out to the sky.

Nearly an hour later the sky was completely dark except for the stars and the quarter moon shining brightly. Yami looked down at Yugi and gave a soft smile. "Yugi?" He whispered. He was answered with sleepy garble and the small body snuggling further into his warmth, small hands tugging at his jacket for more warmth. "Yugi?" He whispered again, "We need to get back home, Yugi."

"A little while longer, Yami…" Yugi mumbled and slipped down until his head was in Yami's lap. The older shook his head and shifted so Yugi's head was against his chest. He turned and pulled Yugi up so he was carrying him piggyback style. He smiled lightly at the sleeping teen before starting the trek home.

Yami undressed Yugi slowly down to his boxers, tossing them into his laundry basket behind him somewhere before picking up his pajama pants he'd laid out on the bed. He pulled them up gently so as not to disturb Yugi and put him into bed. He kissed his forehead and whispered, "Sweet dreams, my love," before backing out of the room, his eyes never leaving Yugi's still form under the covers. "I'll be in later," he finished just before he closed the door.

The crimson-eyes teen went into the kitchen and glanced at the answering machine on the counter. Seeing the red light flashing he pushed the message button and listened as his father's voice filled the room.

"Hey, Yami, it's dad. Guess we caught you while you were out having some fun. Can't say I blame you since it would be a bit boring just staying in the house all weekend. Business is going well and we just wanted to check on you to see how you were. Could you give me a call back as soon as you get this; we'll wait up for you." BEEP /End of messages/ the robotic voice finished.

Yami pressed the delete button before picking up the phone and dialing the number his parents were staying at.

"Hello?" His mother's voice answered.

"Hey, mom."

"Oh, hi sweetie. How's everything going?"

"Fine, how bout you?"

"Good, we just got back from a meeting actually, nothing big; just the usual." There was a pause before she asked hesitantly, "How's Yugi?"

Yami forced back a snort at how obvious she was at not wanting to talk about his boyfriend. "He's fine, mom; you don't have to force yourself to talk about him. He's asleep in my room."

"You did find our note when you got home, didn't you?"

"Yes." Yami answered with a bored note in his voice.

"Did you tell him we apologized?"

"No."

"What? But why, Yami? We don't want him to think that we don't like him or anything!"

"Honey, what's wrong?" His dad's voice was heard in the background.

Yami's mother was about to answer, but Yami cut her off before she could. "Because that's just it, mom: you don't like him. I'm not going to apologize for something you're saying just to be polite; that's not fair to him. When you apologize it's going to come from only you and not a note or phone call, but a front-to-front confrontation and it's going to be real. He doesn't care about what you think of him and I don't either because we love each other and nothing's going to change that. Good bye." Yami said, not thinking he could talk another second to his parents.

"Yami, wait!" His dad's voice shouted.

Yami sighed and held the phone back up to his ear. "What," he didn't bother hiding his irritation.

"We are sorry, Yami, you're absolutely right about talking to Yugi to his face. It'll be our initial priority when we return on Monday. Bring him over after school for us?"

Yami thought for a second before sighing. "Fine."

"Good. Go get some sleep, son. You sound exhausted.

"Okay, have a good weekend."

"You too." There was a click afterwards signaling the end of the connection.

Yami hung up the phone and turned to the fridge. He decided to just make a small sandwich to eat before going to bed. It wasn't all that late, but for some reason he did seem a bit tired, though he and Yugi didn't do anything except walk around and sit at the docks to watch the waves.

"Yami?" A curious voice questioned from the living room.

Crimson eyes looked up from the untouched sandwich they'd been staring absently at for the past half hour. "In here, Yugi," the owner called.

A small shuffle of feet and Yugi's form appeared in the doorway. "What's wrong?"

Yami shook his head. "It's nothing. Hungry?"

Yugi nodded slightly. "A little."

"Come here," the older scooted his chair back and pat his lap. Yugi moved forward and sat sideways across his legs, wrapping his arms tiredly around his neck and laying his head against his shoulder. Yami waited for him to get comfortable before reaching around so he could rip his sandwich in two pieces (as evenly as he could get them without a knife) and handed one to Yugi.

"Are you sure?"

Yami nodded. "I'm not all that hungry anyway."

"Okay." Yugi took a small bite and nibbled it at time to time, not removing his head from where it lay.

After finishing their small dinner and cleaning up Yami led Yugi back to the bedroom and changed into something to sleep in, a pair of black pajama bottoms, before crawling under the sheets and resting his tiredly against it.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Yugi's concerned voice asked once he snuggled against him and wrapped his arms around him.

"Yeah, I'm just tired today for some reason."

"Maybe it has something to do with what we did this morning."

"Nah, I don't think so. We barely did anything to exert as much as energy to feel as tired as I do. Maybe I just couldn't sleep well last night because that couch is uncomfortable."

"Or maybe it was the company you…"

"It is always important in the future for you to never finish the sentence. You're the only one I want to be with and I won't ever let you go until you say it'll make you happy."

"I'm only my happiest when I'm with you."

"Good; we have no problems then?"

Yugi shook his head.

"Good. Goodnight, Yugi."

"Night," Yugi yawned. After a minute of silence Yugi glanced up at Yami. "Are you awake?"

"A little," Yami answered sleepily.

"Can I tell you something?"

"Anything you want, love."

"I don't know why, but for a short while now I've been feeling as though something bad is going to happen. I'm a little scared about it."

"Don't worry, Yugi." Yami kissed his forehead comfortingly. "I'll be here with you and together we'll get through anything."

Yugi seemed to think about it before nodding again, unable to speak from another yawn that forced itself out. "Yeah, you're right. Love you, Yami."

"Love you, too, Yugi."

Kami, I hate filler chapters; they're so boring! But I suppose it had to be done. I did a little bit more than I had expected. It was originally 5 pages with just what was really needed already in the chapter with the phone call and everything, but then I decided to add a bit of foreshadowing since it was boring the way I had it without the foreshadowing. Hope you enjoy.


	11. The Truth Hurts

Hikarigirl18: Yes, thank you for the head's up about Yami's OOC. I did recognize I was doing it though because I wanted a change of pace since I realized that I was always making Yugi's character different so I wanted to try it out with Yami. Sorry about the confusion if there was any. Just wanted to let you know, but thank you still for pointing it out.

The rest of the weekend passed by in a breeze and before the two boys realized it, it was over. Yugi packed his night bag and was just about to head back for he game shop alone since Yami wanted to be at the house when his parents arrived back. Yami followed him out to the driveway silently.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay a little longer, Yugi? You know my parents wanted to talk to you about something."

"Thanks, but no thanks, Yami. I don't want to be rude or anything but I'm not exactly in the best of moods with your parents at the moment, even with the weekend without having to worry about them and cool off. Maybe tomorrow I'll be able to come over and see them if they still want to."

"I'm sure they will. As you know, they're pretty persistent."

"Yes, I know."

They said their goodbyes and gave a quick kiss before Yugi waved and headed down the street. Not long after he disappeared around the corner a car appeared around the corner from down the street and pulled into the driveway.

"Hi, Yami, we missed you." His mother squealed as she jumped from the car and gave him a hug. Since it was the usual greeting, Yami just ignored it and hugged her back until she released him.

His dad then clapped him on the back in a silent greeting before moving around to the trunk and pulling out their bags. "Where's Yugi?"

"On his way home." Yami said before turning and heading back into the house, his dad followed.

"Didn't you tell him that we wanted to apologize?"

"Yes." Yami fell back on the couch and sprawled out, turning on the TV. He hadn't wanted to get in a fight with his parents when they had only just arrived but they were pushing it if they were going to bug him about this now. He couldn't blame Yugi when he felt the same way towards his parents at the moment. They had treated him terribly and didn't bother waiting for them to return the day they left.

"Then why didn't he stay?"

Yami shrugged, not wanting to lie but not wanting to tell the truth either. It was bad enough they didn't like Yugi for reasons he didn't think he'd ever understand.

"Did you just wake up this morning with him already gone then?"

"No."

"Then you saw him off?"

"Yes."

"And he didn't tell you why he wasn't staying? Is he that disrespectful?"

Yami's line had snapped so fast that he didn't even begin to think about the worry laced in with his father's voice. He jumped up from the couch and glared at the man and the woman. "Don't you ever say something so wrong about Yugi in front of me again! You're lucky I even decided to wait for you and I don't blame Yugi one bit for the reason he left the way you treated him the day you left! I wish I had gone with him if all you're going to do is interrogate me about him and insult him!"

"Yami, I –"

"Save it, I don't want to hear it!"

"We didn't mean it like that, Yami. If only you knew what we were going through with Yugi than you'd understand."

"Suzi!"

"No, Robby; we have to tell him now. We can't keep this a secret forever; it has to be done."

"What does?" Yami ground out, wanting desperately to leave, knowing that nothing good could come of this, and also wanting to stay, wanting to know why they treated Yugi so unfairly.

His father sighed and nodded. "Very well; you're right. We shouldn't have held this out for so long. Come with us, Yami."

Slowly, hesitantly, Yami followed his parents into their study and watched in silence as they sifted through a few file cabinets and different folders before they pulled one out, looked at it, and shared a sad glance at each other before nodding. His mother handed him the folded and waited quietly with her husband.

Not wanting to, but wanting to at the same time, Yami opened the folder and saw his birth certificate. He picked it up and stepped back in surprise when an identical looking piece of paper fell out from underneath and glided gently through the air until it touched the floor innocently.

If Yami had only known how that one piece of paper would turn everything around on his wonderful life. He knelt and picked it up, glancing at the name and wondering why there was a second birth certificate. He gasped and let it drop to the floor as if it had burned him. 'Yugi Jikiro' was written in neat calligraphy along the dotted line labeled name.

Disbelief and mistrust flashed across his face as well as betrayal before full out denial settled in. He glared accusingly up at his parents. "You think this," he pointed, not wanting to pick it up, "is _my_ Yugi?" His parents nodded, his tears in his mother's eyes.  
"What do you take me for? Some kind of an idiot?"

"Yami, that is your brother, your twin brother whom you were separated with as a week old. We weren't living right and could barely feed you as it was. It was a miracle you two were even bore as healthy as most, let alone born at all." His mother explained to him.

"No," Yami shook his head back and forth slowly in contradiction. "It's not true; it can't be!"

"Didn't you ever wonder about how and why you looked the same when you two met? About how your interests were always almost exactly the same as each other's; about anything at all?" His father interjected.

"But it's not true! This is my Yugi; I love _my_ Yugi and you're calling him some twin brother of mine who suddenly appears out of nowhere. Why didn't you tell me this before? Why wait until I'm in high school to ever mention that I had a brother out there somewhere?"

"Because we were ashamed, Yami," his mother shouted through her tears, yelling more at herself than anything. "We were ashamed at how we were given the chance to keep Yami and we weren't able to fulfill those needs! Ashamed that people gave up so many things to turn up with nothing when we couldn't give it to them! We were lucky to be able to keep you when we did!"

"So were you ashamed of myself as well! Was it every time you looked at me as I was growing up that you also saw Yugi and were too ashamed of yourselves to admit it to me!"

"Never, Yami." His father told him sternly, even with his misery written plainly on his face. "We would never think that of you. We did feel terrible pain and heartache the first few years every time we saw you but we soon came over it."

"So you just forgot about him then?" Yami accused.

"We could never do that! That's why we had them make a copy of his birth certificate so we could keep the real one. We wanted the actual proof that Yugi was real and that he was somewhere out there."

"And then you came told us you'd met the perfect person for yourself. You were so excited about it and we couldn't wait to me him. When we first saw him we didn't want to belief it was truth either. Then we knew, after weeks of denial and lies to ourselves we knew it really was our Yugi that we had lost. But you two fell in love with each other and we thought we could handle it, but we couldn't!" His mother told him, finishing it off loudly.

"You're – you're just trying to get me to leave him; you want me to break up with him and ruin everything we had." Yami said more quietly, more in a whisper, as tears came to his eyes and leaked silently down flushed cheeks. "You were going to tell him, weren't you? If he had stayed behind like you asked you were going to tell him who he really was, weren't you?" He accused, still whispering quietly and chokingly through his tears that were now coming as rivers.

Silently, and soon regrettably, the two adults nodded. They cringed as the office door slammed as their son fled from the room, dropping all contents in his hands to the floor as he did. It wasn't but a few seconds later when the front door slammed shut as well.

The two parents couldn't bring themselves to go after him when they knew where he was running to the second he left the room. They only hoped things would be easier with Yugi if they had to end up telling him when Yami most likely wouldn't.

Yami ran blindly through the streets, his mind not registering where to go while his feet carried him to where his heart wanted to be. He stopped, gasping for breath, minutes later in front of the Kami Game Shop.

He hurried around to the back and pounded at the door, needing desperately to see Yugi; to know that he wouldn't leave him for reasons that couldn't be true.

Yugi opened the door slowly, peeking out through a crack in the door in case it was some weirdo at the door. Seeing Yami with tears streaming down his cheeks he quickly opened the door and led him inside.

"Grandpa, I'm going to be in my room!" He called to the front of the shop before quickly leading Yami up the stairs and closing his door shut quietly. He pulled Yami by his hand until they were seated on the bed, Yami practically sitting in the younger's lap and soaking his shirt with his tears as he cried fitfully into Yugi's chest. Unknowing of what else he could do to calm his love, Yugi pat his back comfortingly and whispered sweet words into the air so Yami would know he was there for him.

"Don't worry, my love. Everything will be okay; I promise. Whatever's wrong you can tell me and I'll do my best to make your troubles go away."

If Yami were thinking coherently he probably would've snorted at that, but instead his chest clenched painfully and more tears burst from his eyes as he tighter to Yugi's shirt.

It seemed like hours before the crying upset had ceased to exist and Yami was just a ball of emotional exhaust. He was half asleep still curled partly on Yugi's lap. No more tears were falling and the only sound that could be heard were Yami's soft breathing as his reflexes tried telling him to sleep off his pain.

Yugi glanced over to the clock and then out the window. "It's getting late, love." Yugi whispered just loud enough to be heard.

Yami's only response was snuggling closer to Yami and a small sigh of comfort coming from his parted lips. His eyes were red rimmed and his cheeks were flushed a deep red from how hard he'd been crying.

Shaking his head, Yugi remained silent and continued to sweep his hands gently across Yami's back, closing his eyes in contentment and just let the silence of the room over come him. He himself was nearly asleep when the sound of his door opening creaked and he opened his eyes after hearing a small gasp from the entryway.

"Yugi, what-what happened to him?" Solomon questioned, his voice laced with concern.

"I don't know," Yugi whispered back. "He showed up crying and we've been up here for a couple of hours at the least; I'm not sure when he arrived. He finally calmed down about half an hour ago and he's starting to go to sleep."

The old man nodded. "I'll bring up some hot chocolate; it always helped settled you down when you cried."

"Thanks, grandpa." Yugi whispered as the old man closed the bedroom door behind him.

Yami whimpered slightly and moved closer into him, causing a small smile to come to Yugi's lips. He leant down to the sleeping one's ear and whispered, "I love you, Yami. I'll love you forever."

The softly spoken words brought a ghost of a smile to Yami's lips as well and he mumbled out, "I'll love you always, Yugi."

A few minutes later, Solomon returned with two mugs of steaming hot chocolate and set them down on the side table next to the bed.

"Thanks, grandpa." Yugi smiled up at the old man. Solomon returned the smile and left the boys alone once more.

"Yami?" Yugi shook his shoulder gently to stir him from his light slumber. "Yami, there's hot chocolate; it'll make you feel better."

Red eyes blinked once, twice, and then focused lazily up at Yugi. "Hmm?" He mumbled sleepily.

"There's hot chocolate for you." Yugi repeated gently.

Yami sat up just slightly and glanced over to where he was looking.

"It'll make you feel better; it always helps me."

Yami nodded and sat up on the bed and took the offered cup Yugi handed to him. He watched Yugi take a sip of his before taking some from his own.

He put the cup aside after finishing half of it and looked down at his hands resting in his lap. Surprisingly he did feel a little better after the warm drink but something was still missing. He looked up at Yugi and noticed foam from the hot chocolate smudged across Yugi's upper lip. He leant forward and kissed it off before taking Yugi's lips underneath his own. Something inside of Yami's chest swelled at having Yugi with him like this and he pushed forward more forcefully.

Yugi was surprised by Yami's sudden pushiness to kiss him, but let the older have his way. After all, if it made Yami feel better over whatever it was that had upset him as bad as it did, then he would do anything to bring back his Yami.

Forceful hands pushed up Yugi's shirt, causing the youth to gasp and Yami's tongue to push in, the hands rubbing harshly up and down his sides. When he felt the material being pushed up, however, he pushed Yami away and put a small distance between them. "Yami," he gasped, his eyes demanding answers.

"I-I'm sorry, Yugi, forgive me. I didn't know what was doing. I mean I – I don't know how to explain it. When I'm with you all my problems go away."

"Yami, I only left you a half an hour before you came over. What could have possibly happened to get you so upset in such a small amount of time?"

"More than you think." Yami mumbled more to himself than to Yugi.

"Like what?"

Yami quickly shook his head and looked away. "It's nothing; not important at all, just forget it. I have to get home." He rushed out in one breath.

Yugi did want to know what had upset his Yami, but he also didn't want to push him into telling. "All right then," he replied hesitantly. "I'll walk you out."

Yami nodded and allowed Yugi to take his hand and lead him downstairs, his fingers unconsciously tightening around the smaller hand on the way down.

"Call me when you get home?" Yugi requested.

"Okay." Yami answered quietly.

Just as Yugi was about to close the door behind Yami he asked, "Will you ever tell me what it was that got you so upset?"

Yami's eyes widened and he glanced at the ground, around the small alley where the back door was, anywhere but at Yugi. He knew he'd have to tell eventually, but he just wasn't ready to lose his…no, their happiness. _'I don't even know if Yugi would be okay with it…No! We're not twins, we're not brothers, we're not related by blood at all! We love each other and we always will. We'll grow up together and go to college with each other, we'll adopt children after we settle down in the home life and I won't give any of that up until Yugi says he's had enough!'_ Yami nodded, though he didn't have any intention of telling him the real reason. He'd come up with a suitable reason and tell Yugi maybe by the end of the week to stop him from worrying.

Yami went home that night and refused to talk or even look at his parents. He immediately went to his bedroom and looked over at a picture of himself and Yugi a little while after they'd gotten together, holding each other tightly. Yugi had signed it at the bottom with "Love You Forever, Yugi" in his neat, curvy handwriting.

Tears made their way to Yami's eyes but he forced them back long enough to call Yugi and let him know he'd made it home safely. After saying goodbyes, Yami finally let his tears fall. He cried himself to sleep all the while thinking to himself that Yugi wouldn't want to be with him after he found out the truth.


	12. Accidents Happen

Yugi sat groggily on his bed, his history book open on his lap with his homework worksheet sitting half done next to him. He wanted to finish it, but he couldn't. He was much too tired and, more importantly, he was worried about Yami. His boyfriend hadn't been to school at all that week and it was Thursday. He hadn't been able to sleep very well with the concern flooding through his veins over what could have disturbed Yami to cry uncontrollably as he did.

He closed his textbook and slid it onto the floor along with his homework, resolving that he'd finish it later. Then teen lay down on his bed and pulled his throw blanket over him, needing to get a few hours of sleep before he collapsed of pure exhaustion. When he woke a couple hours later he definitely felt a little better, minus the troubling dream he'd had of something terrible happening to Yami and him. _'It's still early enough. I can go over and see if he's going to be okay; I should've done that the day after he came to me. What if something bad happened to him?'_ He slid from his bed and cleaned up a little bit before heading downstairs.

"Grandpa?"

"In here, Yugi," his grandpa called from the game shop. "I'm just putting the last of the things away before I'm done."

"I need to go over to Yami's."

The old man looked at him worriedly. "Did something happen?"

"He hasn't been in school all weak and I'm concerned for him. I just want to make sure."

Solomon thought for a second before nodding. "Okay, be careful, Yugi. It's getting late and I we're supposed to get some snow a little later."

"I won't grandpa; I'm just need to see him." Yugi called back from the hall, taking out a heavy coat and gloves.

After yelling back a goodbye from the backdoor Yugi hurried out of the alley and down the sidewalk at a quick pace. He may have had warm clothing on, but it would only be a matter of time before the cold started biting away at him and he rather be close to his destination before that happened.

He sighed in relief as his arms came around him to warm him further from the chill that had started just minutes ago. Yami's house was now in his sight and he tried to speed up to bring more feeling into his legs and arms. He all but ran across the driveway up to the door, knocking a few times before standing back.

Yugi was about to knock again after a minute when the door opened and Mrs. Jikiro appeared in the doorway.

"Goodness, Yugi, what are you doing out in this weather; you must be freezing!" She hurriedly opened the screen door and bustled in the teen before closing the door again. "Sweetheart, get me a thick blanket, will you?"

"Alright!" It was another minute before Mr. Jikiro came into the living room when he was surprised to see Yugi shivering in his regular clothes, his wife having taken off his slightly wet jacket and gloves. "Oh! If I had known I would've been faster." He quickly wrapped the blanket around his youngest twin's shoulders and rubbed up and down his arms to bring feeling back into them.

"Th-thank y-you," Yugi stuttered with gratefulness. "I-I tried t-to hu-hurry here, b-b-but I j-just wasn't f-f-fat eno-enough."

"Shh, don't worry; we'll warm you up." Mrs. Jikiro told him. "Honey, could you make a fire. I'll get some hot chocolate for you, Yugi." The two adults hurried away, Mrs. Jikiro to the kitchen and Mr. Jikiro to the woodshed outside.

Minutes later the teen had shed the blanket around him and was sipping slowly at the hot chocolate beside the fire.

"Tell me, dear," Mrs. Jikiro started when the teen was comfortable. "Why did you come all the way up here in this weather? Surely you knew that there's supposed to be snow?"

Yugi nodded. "Yes, I knew, but I had to see Yami. He was very upset when he came to my house Monday night only minutes after you had returned from your business trip. I was worried when he didn't come to school the next day. I should've come sooner to see how he was, but I kept brushing it off."

The two adults exchanged knowing looks. "He's taking it very hard. I imagine you must be two, but we're glad and relieved to see that you're taking it very well and aren't trying to avoid Yami. We were afraid that it would ruin your relationship with him, but we're glad to see you still love him."

Confusion was spread completely over Yugi's face as he looked back and forth from one Jikiro to the other. "What are you talking about?" He finally settled on.

"About why Yami was upset, honey. We're happy it's out in the open now; I'll admit it was getting harder and harder for me to see you without you knowing the truth."

"I still have no idea what you're on about. Yami came to me crying and upset, yes, but he never told me what happened."

Mrs. Jikiro gasped and Mr. Jikiro's eyes widened in disbelief. "You mean he didn't tell you _anything_?"

"That's right. So what happened to him; it's obvious that you know."

The adults once again exchanged glances, though this time much more filled with concern.

"Oh dear." The woman whispered with despair.

"I agree."

"Perhaps we should move this to the kitchen. If Yami's anything to go, you'll want something a bit more sturdy than a couch to sit on when we tell you."

Yugi nodded and stood, following his parents-in-secret to the next room to hear about what's going on.

Red-rimmed eyes blinked open in exhaustion. Murmuring voices from down the hall had awoken him from his troubled sleep and he had the most awful of pain and clenching in his chest. He brushed it off, thinking it was because he hadn't seen Yugi all week since that one Monday night.

'_Yugi… I need to see him again.'_ Yami determined tiredly. He stood in his pajamas and pulled a blanket around him to block out the everlasting cold that seemed to follow him around ever since he'd returned from Yugi's that night.

He remembered it clearly. He came back into the house feeling only slightly better. It had been a freezing walk back to the house so his cheeks were flushed a bright pink, taking the attention of his red-rimmed eyes greatly. He hadn't said a word to his parents and hadn't all week either. When he had gone to bed, however, a deep depression hit him and he couldn't find it in himself to see Yugi, feeling ashamed of himself for reasons even unknown to him. He had barely moved from his bed, except to go to the bathroom and a small something to eat when he was sure his parents weren't in the house.

Yami opened his door quietly so as to not alert his parents and whatever guest(s) that were in the house of his appearance. He tiptoed towards where the voices were, unable to help his curiosity of who it was and somehow he felt drawn to the kitchen even if he didn't really want to be seen by anyone. One voice asked a whisper of a question, but it was enough to know who it was. _'Yugi's here!'_ He was just about to step in the kitchen when he was stopped in his tracks by something he wished to never have said aloud again.

"It's not true! It can't be true; we're not twins no matter what you say!" A chair clattered to the kitchen floor and the less than second later a blur of Yugi ran past and out the door, tears spilling out of his eyes and cascading down in waterfalls along his cheeks.

It didn't take Yami long to make his own presence known, anger radiating off him in near visible waves. "What the hell did you do!" He demanded.

His parents looked guiltily down the floor and simultaneously whispered in choked voice, "We told him the truth."

"What! No! I was going to do it when I was ready! You've ruined everything; just stay out of everyone's business and everyone would be a lot happier!" He turned on his heel and flashed out the door before his parents could even have the time to look up at him in shock at his harsh and cruel words.

Yami dashed down the street to the park, knowing Yugi went there whenever he was upset and didn't want his grandpa to see him crying. Snow was pilfering, making it almost impossible to see five feet in front of you. It had already covered the streets and sidewalk completely in the hours it must've been coming down. Yami ignored the immediate chill that came over him as soon as he reached the end of the driveway.

He ended up going through the small wilderness with the only sign Yugi had been through the footprints, and even then Yami wasn't sure if they're were his….

The red-eyed teen skid to a halt at the thought. _'What is Yugi to me now? Is he still my boyfriend? A brother; my twin? Both?'_

A screech of tired and insistent honking broke through his worrying thoughts and a cry of pain and he hurried the rest of the way from the park. What he saw wished he hadn't even come out of his room that day. His head was moving left to right, not wanting to believe what he was seeing.

The driver of the car, after getting over the sudden shock, clambered out of their car and to the unmoving form of Yugi sitting feet away from where the car had come to a sudden stop too late. A puddle of blood surrounded the teen, coming mostly from his arms and probably the back of his head, ribs seemed to be sticking up in an abnormal position, and, which startled Yami the most, was the fact that he didn't seem to be breathing.

Words escaped the red-eyed teen and soon he settled for shouting Yugi's name and running over to kneel beside his… no he won't think about that right now. Not while Yugi was in such a state.

"Do you know him?"

Yami nodded, not wanting to say how since his mind seemed to want to stay in a state on confusion.

"He looks pretty bad," the man said. "He needs to get to a hospital.

Yami nodded again and proceeded to pick the younger up, intent on carrying him if need be.

A few feet down the street the man called back to him. "Please, it's the least I can do! Let me take you to the hospital!"

Yami hesitated before nodding, rushing as carefully as he could back to the car.

The second they arrived Yami was forced to let go of the younger teen to the doctors. He thanks the driver profusely before he hurried over to the phones to call Yugi's grandpa. Afterwards, with nothing else to do or occupy his mind, burning tears streaked down Yami's cheeks on dropped to the brightly polished floor.


	13. The Dreaded Confrontation

After a few hours the whole gang was at the hospital with Yami, minus Yugi's grandfather who had gotten stuck in the snow. Yami had been called by the front desk's phone and had managed to convince the old man to just go home and get some rest since he sounded exhausted. Of course, he was also emotionally and physically exhausted just waiting for one of the doctors to come tell them how Yugi was fairing.

The whole room was filled with tension and it didn't help with Yami continuing to pace back and forth through the room thinking, _'Will Yugi still want to be with me now,'_ echoing repeated in his mind.

A doctor came in and called Yugi's name, looking expectantly through the whitewashed waiting room. Yami immediately looked up at the name and scrambled over, followed quickly by his friends.

"Friends of Yugi Motou's?" He asked. Everyone nodded eagerly, their throats too choked up to speak. The doctor looked through a chart for a second before nodding. "Yugi will be just fine," a large relieved sigh was released from everyone and near exact moments, "but he will be extremely sore for a couple of weeks. He also received a broken wrist when he landed on it from the crash, which has already been tended to and will be easy to mend together in no time.

"You will be able to visit, but any family that's here will have the privilege of going first." He waited expectantly for someone to step up.

Yami really did want to see Yugi first, but he didn't want to say anything in front of their friends. Joey's motion caused him to forget everything though when he saw he was starting to step forward to see him first. _'No! I need to see Yugi first; I have to!'_ He quickly stepped up before Joey could say anything to the doctor. He swallowed every ounce of courage he could find within himself to admit the one thing he'd feared since he found out the truth. "I'm the only family he has present at the time," he choked out.

Everyone looked at him oddly and Bakura stepped forward. "Being his boyfriend is hardly ground for being related with him like family, Yami. Let Joey go first since he's his best friend. After all, you already admitted this was your fault, though you won't tell us why." Bakura eyed him suspiciously before looking back to Joey, nodding for him to continue.

It was true; the second Yami saw the group of friends step in through the hospital doors he had run over to them, crying into Ryou's chest, the first he had reached, and gasping out that he had done it, that it was his entire fault. He hadn't explained anymore than that however. He knew he shouldn't even be looking at Yugi right now since it was obvious his younger…_ 'What is he now? My younger brother or my young love? …No! I don't even have the right to say either. Brothers and lovers are supposed to protect one another and be honest with each other and I…I did neither!'_ He knew that Yugi had known since Monday that he was his twin brother and that his family was the family wanted so desperately to meet since he ever knew he's been adopted.

Yami quickly shook his head as Joey started to follow the doctor. "No!" The blonde and the doctor halted in their walk to Yugi's room. "No, I mean, I'm his brother; he's my twin." Their was a collective gasp from everyone except the doctor when he finished; Yami's head bowed to the floor in shame for not telling everything when he could. _'Yugi's going to hate me; I know he will. But… I still have to see him, to apologize for what could have been avoided.'_

The doctor studied him for a minute before nodding. "Very well then, follow me please."

Yami followed, albeit, slowly, and tried his best to ignore the stares of disbelief and betrayal that followed after his wearing form.

Arriving at the room, the doctor left him alone. Yami waited for the doctor to disappear around a corner before he hurriedly opened the door and rushed to Yugi's side, holding his hand tightly.

He hadn't expected Yugi's skin to look completely flawless, especially after being hit by a car. But still, he couldn't help the tears that streamed down his face at the many bruises of blue, green, and purple and cuts from long to short and shallow to negligibly deep that covered his… Yugi's once perfect creamy smooth skin.

"Don't leave me like this, Yugi," he couldn't help but whimper out, even though the doctor already said he'd be just fine. Perhaps he won't don't leave him as a lover, but he wasn't sure and didn't want to think about it.

"I won't leave, Yami; I couldn't ever leave you," Yugi croaked out through a dry throat.

Yami looked up with wide crimson eyes, tearing shining in their ruby red depths. "Yugi, you're awake!"

Yugi nodded tiredly and gestured with his free hand that had needles giving him medication to a glass of water left on the side table. Yami handed it to him and Yugi nodded his thanks.

"Yugi," Yami started when he replaced the glass back on the table. "Yugi, I'm so sorry about all of this; it's all my fault. I should've told you when I came over Monday night, but I was selfish and didn't want to lose what we had together. I couldn't lose it, it never felt so right."

"Yami," Yugi started uneasily, unable to meet the eyes he once could never look away from; he stared out the window instead to a building across the street. "What we had together… what we shared for those couple of years was all a lie."

Yami stared down at Yugi's pale face, startled and in shock at Yugi's words. "Yugi… no…. please don't…" Tears streamed down Yami's eyes, mirroring the tears that Yugi's eyes also started to shed.

"I am sorry, Yami. But I… I just can't be with somebody – love somebody – who is my own brother – twin brother."

"But… but technically you're not." Yami started hopefully. "We're not brother because… well you were… we can't be…"

Yugi shook his head slowly, cutting Yami into silence as he choked on his tears, unable to come up with anymore mumbling of different excuses of why they could still be together. "It doesn't change anything, Yami. We were born on the same day – from the same mother. Didn't you ever think it strange when all those times we liked or acted the same way about something, even that our birthdays fell on the same day?"

"We were in love! Lots of people do that when they're in love!"

"But not everyone."

"Well, yeah… but…"

"There's not 'buts' about it, Yami!" Yugi interrupted harshly. "There isn't anything we have to argue over. For gods sake, Yami, we almost had sex!"

"Made love."

"It's sex all the same, whatever you call it's still sex!" Yugi paused for a breath before he finished in a voice that wasn't raised by hurt a lot worse than if it hadn't. "You lied to me though. You would've actually gone through with it."

Yami froze and looked away. "Well… I…"

"You might've been – still might be – okay with something like that, Yami, because you refuse to see what others due. _I'm_ not okay with going out with you, especially now that I know it's my own brother that I'm dating; it's just wrong!"

"No, no, Yugi! You're wrong; you don't understand that what we had together is something most people can only dream about!" Yami stood and ran from the room, ignoring the calls from the doctors for him to slow down and his friends' shouts for him to come back and explain himself.

I know it's super short but I had to have this off by itself. At least I got it out quickly though so you wouldn't have waited for a week for a 3-page chapter, so be grateful. I promise the next chapter will be the normal 5 to 6 page again.


	14. Yugi's What?

Yami didn't come out of his room for days after the confrontation with Yugi at the hospital. He ignored his parents' pleas for him to come out as he rocked endlessly on his bed. He never picked up his phone the first few days until altogether he tore it out of the wall and threw it out the window. He refused to eat anything and the only thing he could was stare at the wall and wait for something – anything – to happen.

Somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind he knew Yugi wouldn't come to him and say that what he said at the hospital was wrong and that he wanted to be together again, but he knew it wouldn't happen. He should've known Yugi would've done something like that and he had betrayed his trust by not telling him at the first opportunity.

'_I hadn't even tried to break it off with him when I went to him that night.' _Yami thought tirelessly. _'Was Yugi right…'_

"_I am sorry, Yami. But I… I just can't be with somebody – love somebody – who is my own brother – twin brother." _

"_But… but technically you're not." Yami started hopefully. "We're not brother because… well you were… we can't be…"_

_Yugi shook his head slowly, cutting Yami into silence as he choked on his tears, unable to come up with anymore mumbling of different excuses of why they could still be together. "It doesn't change anything, Yami. We were born on the same day – from the same mother. Didn't you ever think it strange when all those times we liked or acted the same way about something, even that our birthdays fell on the same day?"_

"_We were in love! Lots of people do that when they're in love!"_

"_But not everyone."_

"_Well, yeah… but…"_

"_There's not 'buts' about it, Yami!" Yugi interrupted harshly. "There isn't anything we have to argue over. For gods sake, Yami, we almost had sex!"_

"_Made love."_

"_It's sex all the same, whatever you call it's still sex!" Yugi paused for a breath before he finished in a voice that wasn't raised by hurt a lot worse than if it hadn't. "You lied to me though. You would've actually gone through with it."_

_Yami froze and looked away. "Well… I…"_

"_You might've been – still might be – okay with something like that, Yami, because you refuse to see what others due. I'm not okay with going out with you, especially now that I know it's my own brother that I'm dating; it's just wrong!"_

'Was I really going to try hiding it for as long as I could? To keep Yugi by my side for always was I really going to go through such lengths as telling him we weren't brothers?'

Yami looked up wearily and glanced around his room, tears streaming silently down his pale and sunken face. It seemed like everything in his room reminded him of Yugi and his smiling face. His cheerful face and bright amethyst eyes were burned in the back of his mind no matter how hard he tried hide or ride himself of the pain.

His door opened, but Yami didn't even bother looking up as a shadow cast over his already cold form.

"You look like shit," Seru's voice told him.

Yami looked up, startled and surprised to see the once worst school bully around visiting him like a friend would.

His crimson eyes widened in fear though as suddenly an image of Yugi in a bloody heap and sprawled unconscious on the ground. "You're… you aren't going to hurt him are you," he choked out through his dry throat.

Seru sighed and showed him a glass of water. "Drink this, you need it."

Yami stared at the glass but found it wasn't going anywhere unless he drank it. He nodded his thanks and took it, taking a small sip before looking back up at Seru; he seemed satisfied for the moment.

The once bully sat down and shook his head. "Nah, I'm grown attached to the little bugger. Everyone at school is worried about you though."

Hope started to shine in Yami's eyes, but Seru quickly diminished it with a small shake of his head. "Sorry, Jikiro; I know it hurts a lot right now. But he's made it real clear to everybody that he's not going to come back to you like you want him to; just as a friend and a brother. I'm not going to say I know what you're going through, but I wish I could understand so I could help you."

Yami looked down sadly, more tears streaming down his face. Seeing this Seru tried to think of something else to say that might help. "Don't worry about it too much though, Jikiro. If you truly love him, than all you want if for him to happy, right?"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean the pain lessens any." He argued.

"I hear you on that one, Jikiro. Anyway, I actually just came by to give you this. I don't know, I thought it would make you feel better or something, but you don't have to take it if you don't want to. I'd understand if you didn't." He handed Yami a small envelope that he took out from his jacket pocket.

Yami took it and opened it, pulling out a picture of him and Yugi sitting in each other's embrace on the pier, watching a beautiful sunset; their backs were to the camera. The teen gasped and looked at Seru; eyes widened. "I thought I saw a small flash that day; it was you?"

Seru nodded guiltily. "Yeah, I was out messing around with my dad's old camera that he doesn't want anymore and I saw you two. I couldn't help myself."

"Thank, Seru; this means a lot to me."

Seru nodded and stood. "Well, my old man is going to be cursing at me enough from not going straight home after school. He probably thinks I'm going to attack some innocent citizen or something shitty like that, oh well. Later, Jikiro."

Yami nodded a goodbye and watched as the door closed before looking down at the picture again. More tears sprung into his eyes and he let them fall carelessly.

The door opened again and Yami looked up, startled, and saw Seru again. "Your old man said that he and your mom have to go out and do some legal crap and stuff. They want to know if you'll be alright by yourself?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

"Cool. Take advantage of the down time then and eat something, will ya? You're turning skin and bones."

Yami nodded and watched the door close again. It was only after he heard the car leave the driveway that he realized Seru had seen him crying and hadn't done anything to try and embarrass him about it. _'Maybe… maybe he really is changing more than I thought was possible when I first met him.'_

Hours later, well past two in the morning, a car pulled up into the driveway again. Yami, curious as to what they could've been doing out so late, finally put the picture down on his bed and out to the living room where his parents were coming in.

"Oh, Yami, you're still up?" His mother gasped when she saw him standing in the entrance of the hallway. "Sorry for getting back so late. That took so much long than we expected."

He gave his mother the benefit of a small nod before looking over to where his dad was holding a couple of bags before his eyes shifted to the third person in the room. "Yu-Yugi?"

Yugi looked over at him and offered a small smile, which Yami didn't return.

"B-but why are…"

"I called a few days ago after convincing my grandpa that I should be able to live with my real parents now that I know who they are. He agreed and we set up the whole meeting with the judge today. Of course, without you there, it was harder to convince him, but we did manage. I'll get to live here for six our of seven days of the week; spending one night a week at my grandpa's to confirm I'm doing okay. The judge said that in a few years I might be able to live with you guys completely if everything stays in perfect order. Though, the next time he said you have to be at the meeting to confirm everything."

"Oh – I see." Yami tried not to let his tears be shown, but after a while they couldn't be helped. He was just too used to letting them fall freely that he didn't think it was possible to even hold them back anymore, even if he wanted to.

"Yami," Yugi stepped forward, "Are- are you okay? You've got tears…"

At the second step though, Yami couldn't take it and he ran from the room, slamming his door closed before leaning against it. He allowed his tears to cascade down his face as he cried fitfully into his knees, Yugi's name rasped from his lips every so often.

Yugi felt at a complete loss as to what he should do. He looked at the floor and said painfully, "I thought – I thought he'd be over it by now. I never meant to hurt him, but I…"

"Don't worry, Yugi." His mother said, wrapping her arms around his shoulder like she'd done with Yami when he was younger and how she longer to finally do it to her younger son. "Yami's just hurt because he truly felt love towards you. He would prove it over and over again every time he saw us staring at you uneasily."

"So… you knew for a while then?" Yugi asked, looking up into the identical eyes of his mother.

"Yes," his father answered as he dropped Yugi's bags onto the couch at last. Yugi looked over to him as he continued. "We did know, but we didn't want to say anything. I guess we were trying to convince ourselves that you two could be together without worry since you didn't know you were brothers, but eventually it couldn't be helped." He paused and looked down the hall. "We had to tell and we knew Yami wouldn't tell you until he had gotten over it himself. We had a feeling you wouldn't feel as strongly about the idea though and that's why we decided not to wait for Yami to tell you himself."

"I see. Maybe… maybe it wasn't a good idea for me to have come then."

"No, Yugi." His mother said determinedly. "With you being here now I'm sure he'll start coming out of his room more and start eating as well. Eventually he'll go back to school and I'm sure everything will turn back to normal in no time at all."

Yugi looked down the hallway to where he knew Yami was probably crying. Sure, he had cried after Yami had left the hospital and had done so all night. He knew he was doing the right thing though. He did love Yami, but he couldn't be with him. "I hope you're right," he whispered. _'But things still only seem to get worse with the passing of time. I can only hope Yami will forgive me for doing this.'_


	15. Mission Terminated

With the knowledge of Yugi living in the house, Yami was even scarcer then he was before. The only times the red-eyed teen was heard outside his room was when he was in the bathroom or very late at night in the kitchen for a few minutes before his bedroom door clicked shut again.

He had an ever-growing pile of school assignments piling outside his bedroom that he continued to ignore, no matter how many times he'd been yelled at by his parents to shape up and be a better example to his younger brother. Yami's response was always the same: "He isn't my brother! He's just some person who looks like me and stole my heart and broke it!"

The first time Yugi had heard that he'd ran, but his mother had screamed for her husband to catch him before he made it outside. He'd sat on the couch held by his mother and father for hours, crying about how he hadn't meant to hurt Yami but he had to do what he felt was right.

Yugi still gets upset every time he hears Yami yelling out to whoever knocked on his door and said Yugi and brother in the same sentence, but he did his best not to let it get to him.

"He's just taking it harder than you, Yugi." His mother had tried explaining to him one day when he was caught crying in his bedroom. "He was all caught up in his love that he must've forgotten your needs as well as his own. Now his perfect world came crashing down on him and he doesn't know how to handle it so he pushes everyone away so he won't get hurt again. The best thing to do is just let him vent and when he's ready he'll come out to face the world again."

Yugi had accepted that and looked over his shoulder sadly as he stared at the closed door. _'I know he needs time, but it's taking forever to me.'_ He thought.

Now Yugi was staring at the door again, feeling horrible. He was tired of waiting for Yami to come to him; it couldn't be put off for much longer or he'd be forced to move out. The meeting for the judge was getting closer with each passing day and if Yami wasn't there he'd have to move out, which was the last thing he wanted to do now. Dinner was almost ready so Yugi had approached the door and knocked timidly.

When there was no answer Yugi put his ear to the wood and listened. He heard something but he couldn't be sure what it was. He knocked again, "Yami?" He waited and still no answer. "Yami," he asked louder.

There was a loud thump like somebody falling off the bed and he called out again. Something was thrown at the door, causing it the shake and cause a loud noise. "Yami, don't do this, please!"

"Go away!"

"But, Yami – "

"It isn't bad enough that you ruined my life! Now you come barge into my home and act like you own the place!"

"I wasn't trying to – "

"Leave me alone!"

Yugi was frozen into silence after that. Yami had never spoken to him with such hatred before. _'Maybe it's better if I went back to my grandpa…No! I suck for having such idiotic ideas! I can't give up on Yami no matter how stubborn he's being. I love him still…'_ He stared at the door a bit longer before he whispered to the still closed entryway, "I just wanted to tell you dinner was ready; thought you might like to know. I'll save something for you though in case you get hungry." He then headed into the kitchen.

It was a few days later that Yugi was determined for a better response. The meeting with the judge was the next day and he'd be damned if he was forced out without a better fight than he was putting up against Yami. He passed by Yami's bedroom door and froze. It was completely silent. Usually you could hear something like Yami's TV or gameboy or even his CD player turned up all the way. He knocked, but there wasn't an answer.

Yugi decided to try the door and was surprised to find that it was unlocked when it had been locked up or blocked by a dresser or something, but it opened as easily as ever. He stepped into the room and had his eyes adjust to the dim light. "Yami," he asked attentively, seeing Yami's unmoving form on the bed.

Yami shifted slightly to show he was listening, but didn't dare look up to show Yugi his continuously red-rimmed eyes and runny nose. The thought of Yugi being in his room after how he'd treated him was overwhelming and he looked down at the picture Seru had given him, which had never left his sight since it was placed in his hands.

"I have a meeting with the judge tomorrow; he wants you to be there."

Yami nodded enough for Yugi to see and waited for the door to click closed, but it never came.

"Why are you acting like this, Yami," Yugi choked out, causing the red-eyed teen to flinch at the pain he heard. He knew Yugi was crying now and he wanted to comfort him and tell him everything would be okay, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it.

"You did what you came to do; leave." He ground out.

He heard Yugi's gasp and then footsteps and the door closing quickly behind them. Yami shifted again in his bed and stared at the crumbled up and fingerprint infested picture of him and Yugi together on the pier. _'What is the matter with me? I never would've treated Yugi like that before.'_

More tears streamed from his eyes and dripped onto his already tearstained pillow and covers. "Why am I being such a baby? It must be months now since we broke up. Could anyone – could I – truly love someone – Yugi – enough to have it hurt this badly? Yugi…"

The next morning Yami showered and dressed up neatly, much to everyone's surprise. They thought they would have to force him out of his room, but were very much relieved to see they didn't. They all gathered in the car and headed down the road in silence.

Yami had been going over a particular decision all morning and he still wasn't sure if he wanted to go through with it. After all, if what Yugi was making it seem true, than he could decide whether Yugi stayed or not. He stared mindlessly out the window wondering, _'Can I really hold that responsibility on me with such a big decision?'_

They drove over to the courthouse and waited until they were called in.

"Ah, you must be Yami," The judge said, looking at the crimson-eyed teen. "I heard you weren't feeling well the last meeting and were unable to make it. How are you?"

"I've been better," Yami admitted tiredly, really not wanting to make with idle chitchat and watching to get down to business quickly so he could go back to his room.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Shall we then?" He gestured to the chairs, "Please, have a seat."

Everyone except Yami took a seat; the eldest twin chose to remain standing as he leant against the far wall.

The meeting seemed to drag on forever to Yami and his resolve was grumbling with every passing minute. They talked about how everything was going and how Yugi had been going every Friday night back to his grandpa's game shop to spend the night and everything was well and Yugi didn't feel like an outcast or anything while living in the house.

Yami didn't listen to too much of it though and allowed to pass through one ear and out the other. He also chose to only speak when he was actually asked a particular question.

Finally, the judge turned his complete attention to Yami and offered a comforting smile. "Well, Yami, the decision's up to you then. Do you get along well with Yugi?"

A nod.

"You don't feel like you're being ignored or pushed away from the family."

A shake.

"Well then, what do you think about Yami living with you full time?"

A surprised gasp came from his mother and Yugi and they hugged each other gleefully, excited they'd finally get to be the family they never were before. His father also joined in the warm hug and Yugi watching them for a minute before turning back to the judge. "I don't."

More gasps were heard in the direction of the family as they heard his answer. He glanced back over and saw his parents staring at him with surprise and disbelief. Steeling himself, Yami stole a glace at Yugi and saw him staring with complete disbelief and even more betrayal.

Contrary to the popular belief that must've spread in the house all the while Yugi was staying in the house, Yami truly did love his brother but he knew it wouldn't work out know he was his brother, but that didn't mean he didn't still love him with his whole being.

The judge finally shook himself from his shock at Yami's answer. "Do you care to explain why," he asked at last.

"I don't want him living with me," Yami stated easily. "I've thought about it hard and it all just seems too overwhelming to handle when I'm only just learned and accepted he's my brother. Maybe in a few years though I'll be willing to try again, but just not right now."

The judge nodded and started to gather his papers. "I think," he started, looking up at Yami with a twinkle in eye, "that's a very responsible decision. I know many others would've just stayed quiet about it. I admire that courage in you young people today." He looked over at Yugi who was trying forcefully to hold back his tears. "I am sorry about this though, Yugi. I know you were looking forward to being with your bloodline family after all this time of not even knowing who they were, but you do understand, don't you?"

Yugi was quiet for a minute, still only able to stare at Yami, before he finally nodded and turned back to the judge. "Yes, sir," he ground out as polite as he could as he pushed back more hot tears from his eyes. "I understand perfectly."

Back at the house though was a completely different statement.

"I don't understand you at all, Yami!" He shouted as Yami just stood there like an empty shell.

The only thing running through the older teen at that moment was: _'I did it? I really did push everyone away this time? What have I done?'_

"I was trying to help you and you shoved me away like a broken toy. You didn't even bother coming out of your room to help me either! Did it ever cross your mind that I was hurting just as badly as you? Get over yourself! Next time I just won't bother!" Yugi was forced to stop for lack of air, but as soon as he was breathing normally again he was back to yelling. "Just because I said I wouldn't go out with my twin brother and have sex like you wanted all along you get all sulky! You're being a selfish jackass just because you can't have me the way you want me!" Yugi turned on his heel and stormed into his bedroom, slamming the door.

"He right, Yami. I'm completely ashamed of you." His mother stated angrily.

"I think it's obvious enough why you didn't want Yugi living here and I just hope to any god listening right now that you did not just say that to the judge in a means to get even with Yugi for not going out with you." His father ground out.

His mother and his father than left the living room to go talk to Yugi. He watched them go, finally blinking out of his numbing darkness. Tears came to his eyes as he headed for the front door. He looked around the room one last time before looking down the hall. "You're all wrong," he choked out before running down the street.


	16. Yami turned Seru

Yami didn't know how far he'd ran from his house, but he knew it must've been a long time since the sky was now darkening. He stopped at last and panted against a tree, willing the pain in his chest to go away as well as the large stitch in his side. In his exhaustion, both mentally and physically, he slumped on the ground and curled up, meaning to only rest his eyes for a short while.

The next thing Yami knew he was being shaken awake rather roughly. He opened his eyes groggily and the first thing that came into focus was a police badge. Startled, he looked up into the man's face.

"Are you alright there, son?" The officer asked.

Yami sat up tiredly and rubbed his eyes. Looking around his surroundings he realized he had absolutely no idea where he was. Taking a deep breath he looked back at the tall man standing in front him and nodded. "Yes, I'm okay." He stood and brushed himself off.

"It's rather late; your parents are probably worried about you."

Yami resisted the urge to roll his eyes, _'Yeah, right, I'll bet they're just terrified out of their minds.'_ "Yes, probably, sir. I should head home then."

"I'll give you a ride," he motioned to the police car parked a few feet away.

The red-eyed teen gulped and shook his head. "No, that's alright, sir. It isn't that far away," he lied. He actually had no idea how to get back home even if he wanted to.

"I insist. Many loonies are out during this time of night. I'd feel much knowing you got home safely than just leaving you here."

"Really, I'll be okay." And before the officer could get another word in, Yami was walking quickly away from him in the same direction he'd been running in. He was relieved when the officer or any of the loonies he'd been told about didn't follow him. He was sure that in his current state he wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight.

Yami must've walked another couple of miles from where the cop had found him and, as he looked around, he realized he was in the middle of nowhere. He had no idea what time it was either and wished that cop hadn't found him. He was extremely tired now and there wasn't anywhere remotely comfortable among rocks and dirt where he could get any kind of sleep.

He looked up tiredly and saw something resembling a sign. He ran over to it and collapsed on his knees. Yami couldn't believe it. The sign read: **Welcome to Sacrime City**. He'd been here only once before and knew it was quite a ways from home, about an hour and a half's drive, but he couldn't remember how far it was.

Yami trudged by the sign tiredly, needing to get some sleep and something to eat before he passed out.

Weeks had passed and no sign of Yami had come up; Yugi was really worried about his twin brother. He let out another yawn, the millionth it seemed of the day. It's not like he could help it though. He'd spent endless nights laying either awake in his bed worried sick over Yami or comforting his mother with his father on the couch.

"Yugi Motou!"

Said teen jumped almost out of his seat when the teacher called his name. "Yes, ma'am?"

"Pay attention or I'll send you to the principal's office."

Yugi nodded, "Yes, ma'am."

"Now, as I was saying," she eyed Yugi sharply, "I've been given permission to take a fieldtrip to the next town over to visit the museum." Everyone let out a large groan, but fell silent as soon as the teacher glared at them. "You'll be allowed to bring money for lunch after the tour as well and hang out at the park that's nearby before we come back to the school."

The bell rang soon after she finished and the class left the room, talking excitedly about the trip for tomorrow. Yugi yawned again, glad to finally be going home. He wasn't looking forward to this trip at all. All he wanted to do was find his brother so they could be a family again, even if he wouldn't be allowed to live with them. Of course, that didn't stop him from sleeping over there every night so he could be with them.

He turned the corner that would take him to the game shop so he could drop off his stop. Yugi called out to his grandpa before heading outside again. Solomon was used to it though; it was his grandpa's usual routine for the fast few weeks. He would go to school, come to the game shop to drop off his stuff, then go to his parents' house to spend the night there, then pick up his stuff early the next morning and walk to school again. He was very worried for his grandson ever since his brother left home.

Yugi stepped into the house and called out to his parents. His mother greeted him at the door to the kitchen.

"Hey, mom," he kissed her on the cheek.

"Hello, sweetie," she kissed him back, "how did your day go?"

"Fine," Yugi sighed. He slumped down on the couch and stared at nothing for a minute before looking back at his mother. "I have a field trip tomorrow, to the next city over to see the museum."

"That's a lovely museum," she joined him on the couch. "I believe your father and I took Yami there once when he was very young."

"Was it boring?"

"Yugi," she teased. "No, I think your brother enjoyed it very much."

The teen yawned again and rested his head on his mother's shoulder.

"You should go take a nap; we had a long night."

"Yeah," Yugi stood and nodded to his mother.

"I'll wake you for dinner."

"Seru, you can get off now if you like!"

Yami looked up from washing dishes, "Okay!" He put the rest of the dishes away and removed his apron, putting in the closet with the others. The nametag flashed in the light and he sighed when he saw 'Seru' printed on the gold tag.

He was working in a somewhat popular restaurant so he could pay for the lightly rundown old apartment about a mile down the street. Yami didn't think putting his real name on the application. He was clutching at the picture that Seru had given him at the time and he couldn't think of any other name at the time so that's what he had put down.

There were times when Yami missed home, especially Yugi, but he knew he couldn't go back or he'd just cause more problems. Yami was sure that with him out of the picture Yugi would be able to be with their parents. The judge couldn't say no if there wasn't anyone in the way to stop it, could he?

A hand tapped his shoulder and he looked over to see Hikaru, a spunky girl he worked with. He smiled at her and turned back to putting the rest of his stuff away.

"I have a question for you," Hikaru said bluntly when he turned around.

Yami sighed and shook his head. "Would there be any way to stop you if I said no."

"Not really," she laughed. "Why don't you ever laugh or smile, Seru?"

"Wha – " Yami stuttered, "Of course I do."

"No you don't. You're always moping around, working like a complete robot with this zoned out look on your face. You hardly talk to anyone and I think I'm the only one you've had something related to a conversation with. Care to share what's on your mind?"

Yami sighed and headed over to the door.

"Seru!"

Yami whispered something, a dull look coming over his eyes.

"What? Could you say that again?"

Yami looked back at her and Hikaru almost gasped at the heart wrenching expression and look in his eyes. "Wouldn't it be great if you could live alone?"

"Wha – "

"If you lived alone you wouldn't hurt anybody… " He paused and looked at his reflection in a window. "Nor would you get hurt."

"Seru," Hikaru whispered sadly, for once without a bubbly expression on her face.

"I've got to go."

Yugi sighed as he rode the bus with the rest of his class, who were jumping around in chaos and talking too loudly for his liking. A sign passed by and he read it with a tired expression: Sacrime City.

The bus stopped a few minutes later in front of the museum.

The tour was long and dull and Yugi was suspecting that his mother only said Yami had fun so he would go and get out more often than he has been.

After the museum the teacher gave them a time to get back to the bus and let them loose. Yugi decided he was hungry and stepped into the first diner that he saw. He sat down at a booth and waited for someone to come.

"Seru, customer at one of your tables," a cheerful voice called to someone in the back.

Yugi gasped and looked up. It couldn't be… amethyst eyes widened and his mouth gaped open. The waiter also gaped and backed up slowly, shaking his head.

"Y-Yami…"


	17. Welcoming Confessions

"Seru, customer at one of your tables," a cheerful voice called to someone in the back.

Yugi gasped and looked up. It couldn't be… amethyst eyes widened and his mouth gaped open. The waiter also gaped and backed up slowly, shaking his head.

"Y-Yami…" Yugi stuttered with disbelief.

"W-what are you doing here," Yami nearly squeaked.

"I could ask the same of you," Yugi sneered before realization hit him and he jumped up, wrapping his arms tightly around his older brother. "Yami, I missed you so much. Why? Why did you leave us like that," he cried.

In his moment of panic Yami pushed his younger twin away and ran out the door, dropping his things as he did.

Yugi winced as he stood up, rubbing his back from where it hit the hard floor.

"Sheesh, what was his problem," Hikaru nodded in disappointment to help Yugi up. "Sorry about him" she said, "He's got issues I guess. I've never seen him act like that." She smiled at him before gasping, "Hold on a twitch, you-you're the splitting image of him!"

Yugi blushed but looked determined. "Please, can you help me? Yami's my twin brother and I need to find him. Do you know where he lives?"

"Yami," Hikaru pondered, "Sorry, squirt, I don't know any Yami's."

"Yes, you do! That guy that just ran out," Yugi pointed to emphasize.

"Him? No way, that guy's name is Seru. Starting working a few months ago," she explained.

"Than he changed his name so we couldn't find him. Please, please help me?"

"So you mean that Seru is your brother who ran away from home and his name is actually Yami?"

Yugi nodded quickly, impatient to go find his brother.

Hikaru thought for a minute before offering Yugi a small smile, "Sure, I can help you out. I'll go talk to him for you. I might be able to knock some sense into his pretty head."

"But I…"

"If he sees you, then he's sure to run off again just like now. Don't worry…what was your name?"

"Yugi."

"Yugi, then, don't worry." She winked at him and removed her apron. "Charlie! Me and Seru are going on our break!"

A grunt could be heard in the back and she laughed, "That's Charlie, never heard a word from him." She took Yugi's hand and led him out and down the street.

They stopped a few blocks down at a rundown looking apartment place and walked in.

"I've only been here a few times, but it's enough to know your brother won't be surprised to see me. We haven't been close, but I guess he's just like that."

"Actually, Yami's had lots of friends. It was only recently, before he ran away, that things started to change."

"Want to explain?"

Yugi shook his head quickly, "Not really; it's a bit personal and kind of embarrassing."

"I see. Here we are," she stopped at a door. "Go hide around that corner. He keeps the door open when I'm over so he can shove me out easily if he wants to so it won't be a problem to know when you come in."

"Okay," Yugi nodded. He hurried down the hall to hide around the corner and listed as the waitress knocked on the door and a few seconds later somebody opened it.

"Hey, Seru, you ran out so quickly," she said loudly.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I didn't get a chance…"

"To tell Charlie, I know," she finished for him, "I told him for you. What's up with your eyes? They're all red."

Yugi wanted to look, desperate to see his older brother and once lover again. He missed him so much it was almost too unreal to believe he'd found him on a boring class trip.

"I-I know. It's nothing really; just an allergy."

"Mind if I come in?"

There was a pause before Yami said she could. Yugi glanced around the corner and sure enough the door was open just enough. He hurried over and stuck his ear to the notch to listen. He was thankful that the girl stayed in the room by the door rather than going to another, if there were anymore.

"So, Seru, are you gonna talk about why you ran out so suddenly," the girl asked, a plop following her words signaling that she had dropped onto a couch or chair.

"Nothing really, Hikaru; personal problems and all," Yami answered, sitting more gracefully.

"Is that all? Sheesh, I looked as though you had seen a ghost or something."

There was gasp followed by silence.

"Seru?"

Silence.

"Seru, you okay. What's wrong, you've gone all pale?"

Silence.

"Yami?"

There was another gasp and the sound of someone jumping up all of a sudden. "How did you know that?"

Yugi decided this would be a good time to enter and not leave all the explaining to the waitress. He stepped in, making sure the door creaked enough for Yami to know someone else had entered the room. He was right and as soon as he was seen there was a third gasp and Yami fell to his knees, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Yu-Yugi?"

Hikaru stood and walked past Yugi. "I think you two need some alone time," she said as she closed the door.

"Yugi…I…"

Yugi stepped forward and knelt in front of his older brother, wrapping his arms around him and holding on tightly, as though Yami would disappear if he didn't. "Shh," he whispered, "please, Yami, not yet."

He felt a small nod against his neck and warm arms wrapped around him as their owner started shaking with tears. "Yugi, I'm so sorry," he choked.

"I know, Yami, I know. I am too."

There was silence except for the occasional sniffle or one of the two, sometimes both, shifting to a comfortable position. Once the tears had finally stopped Yami picked himself up and led Yugi by the hand to a small, moth-eaten couch and collapsed on it.

Yugi snuggled up against his older brother and held him tightly. "Yami," he whispered.

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry," he paused, "for making you think that I didn't have feelings for you anymore."

There was silence before he could feel eyes burning into him. He looked up and stared into crimson orbs.

"You – you still have feelings for me?"

Yugi blushed and looked away, "I've made my resolve, Yami. Even though I do still love you as a boyfriend I won't go out with you like you want me to. It's just wrong even if we didn't grow up together like normal brothers – twins – have."

Yami looked away also and nodded sadly, "Yeah," he croaked, forcing back more tears.

"However," Yugi continued, "I can – and will – love you as brother can. After all, it's kinda like you were my brother even when we didn't know it. You protected me and cared for me just like older brothers do."

Yami nodded and looked back at him, "And you've given me confidence and a joy nothing else could fill. I suppose there isn't a rule saying two brothers can't love and look after each other like others do."

That earned a small smile from Yugi, who nodded. "Yeah, we'll just be closer than some siblings could ever be." A frown than came over his face, "You're not going to treat me like some other older brothers do and beat me up, will you?"

Yami couldn't help but laugh at than and he quickly shook his head, "No, no, of course not. I couldn't lay a harmful finger on you even if I tried."

The younger nodded and became completely serious, "Yami, why'd you leave? Why couldn't we have talked this out without having to make our parents so worried about you? They've been looking all over the place and barely getting any sleep, like myself."

Crimson eyes turned away with shame and Yami looked everywhere except at his younger brother. "I – I thought you didn't want me there anymore," he admitted, "Everyone was so angry with me when we returned from the judge and I figured that if I wasn't there than you would be able to live happily like a family you always wanted."

Yugi gasped and stood up, forcing Yami to look at him by placing his hands on either side of his older brother's face and holding him there. After a small struggle, Yami gave in and allowed himself to look in the younger's eyes.

"I would never have wanted or asked you to leave, Yami. I love you, but that doesn't mean I'm not supposed to get mad at you once in a while. I was shocked when I first heard that you didn't want me to live with you and that just carried over to anger."

"So you were mad at me?"

"Of course, Yami," Yugi shouted in frustration. He quickly regretted it when Yami backed away from him, eyes wide with fear. "I'm sorry, Yami," he said calmly, "it's just, you were the one standing between me and my chance to be with my real family at last. Out of all people, I thought you'd have been the one to understand that that's all I wanted, weren't you thinking?"

"I did think about it though, Yugi," Yami admitted in a desperate voice, "I thought about it the entire night before and the day as well. I did think that you'd be hoping to spend more time with the family, but I was also thinking about us and what we went through."

Yugi waited for Yami to explain what that meant, but when he didn't continue he asked about it.

"Well we kinda did get through a rough break up and, I don't know about you, but I would've felt awful and torn up every time I saw you. I just wanted to wait for things to settle down between us before another big thing happened like you moving in."

Yugi looked down, full of shame. "I hadn't thought of that," he confessed, "I guess I was so excited about finally being able to live with my real parents and being with my family that I hadn't given a second thought about how awkward it would feel between us without letting things cool down." There was a slight silence before Yugi added, "Is that why you stayed in your room the entire time I was staying there?"

A small blush overcame Yugi's cheeks, turning them a light pink, but that didn't stop him from nodding confidently. "Yeah, that and I was still getting over my broken heart. Now that I've had time to think about it I realized that I was acting like a spoiled brat and should've been trying to focus on making sure you felt comfortable."

The younger chuckled lightly before shaking his head, "You were just acting like any other person would when they've gone through a rough breakup. I can understand that. And I shouldn't have tried forcing you out of your room all those times I yelled. I guess I was trying to hide and push away my feelings rather than trying to sort through them."

There was much more conversation followed, mostly by what was going on the other's life since Yami had left and how school seemed to be going for Yugi. It ended with Yugi eventually falling asleep from his lack thereof and Yami happily let him stay with his head in his lap if it meant Yugi was comfortable.

However, when he woke from a light doze he quickly noticed that it was beginning to darken. He carefully pushed Yugi off him, making sure he was still asleep, before checking his phone for messages. There was one from Hikaru and she had taken over his shift and not to worry about repaying her. He checked the time and gasped, it was almost past seven!

He hurried over to the couch and shook Yugi awake. "Yugi, what time was the bus leaving."

"Four-thirty," he mumbled sleepily.

"Oh god! Yugi you missed the bus by almost two hours!"

Yugi started awake and fell off the couch at the sudden movement, "What!"

"We both fell asleep."

"Oh no," he moaned, "mom and dad are gonna freak when I don't go over there like I always do."

Yami bit his lip in thought before his eyes glanced outside and saw the bus stop and an idea popped in his head. "I know, Yugi. There's a bus that's always coming in and out of this time. There's one more bus that comes around seven-forty-five or so. You can take that one."

Yugi looked at Yami, a heartbroken and saddened expressed on his face, "What – what do you mean 'I can take it'? Aren't you going to come back with me, Yami?"

The older was startled by the needy way in which Yugi had spoken. He rolled his bottom lip between his teeth in deep thought.

"Please, Yami," Yugi begged, wrapping his arms around him tightly, "I want you back, I _need_ you back. Mom and dad do too, we miss you so much."

"Well, I -…"

"Please, Yami?"

Knowing when he's been won over, Yami nodded. A large smile took over Yugi's face and he found himself with an armful of Yugi hugging him tightly around the middle.

"Thank you, Yami, I promise you won't regret it at all." The younger then turned and hurried down the small hall into the bathroom to freshen up a little bit.

The wait for the bus wasn't as terribly boring as they thought it was going to be. Almost right on schedule a bus stopped in front of the small station and the twins climbed aboard, Yami carrying a small bag holding things he had gotten during his small stay in the city.

Yami didn't get to sleep the hour drive there like Yugi did, but he was grateful since he didn't know if he would be woken up by the driver or not once they reached Domino. When the city started coming into view, he shook Yugi awake and together they climbed off once it stopped at the station.

From there they walked in silence to the house. When Yugi saw it from the street corner he ran ahead to their parents who were looking up and down the street with worried looks. The expressions quickly changed when they saw Yugi coming and they opened their arms to greet him.

Yami stopped and watched nervously as they exchanged greetings. Yugi talked about something excitedly for a minute before he pointed down to where Yami was waiting and waved eagerly. The older took that as his queue and stepped into the moonlight so his parents could see him.

His mother was the first to react. With tears shining down her pale and slightly sunken from lack of sleep cheeks she ran down in her slippers and robe and held him tightly in her arms, much like Yugi did when he saw him in the apartment. He wrapped his own arms around her and held on tightly, savoring the feeling.

"I'm sorry, mother. I missed you so much. I didn't mean to make you worry," he whispered, his own tears making streaks down his face.

"Shh, you're back now. I'm so glad to have you back, Yami."

"Me too, I won't ever leave like that again."


	18. VOTING

Down to Earth – Yugi's an angel who saved the heavens from an unknown evil at the truth that he would have to be reborn. Now fifteen years later, the time when Yugi first died, he is reborn and Ryou and Malik go looking for him only to find that they have more problems than usual.

Unexpected Love – Marik's jealous, Bakura's lonely, Ryou is saddened and confused, and Malik can't see this because he's trying to find out if he really loves Ryou or not

It was just a Game – Yugi is just a regular teen going through the regular problems. He's got great friends and a girlfriend he would never give up. What happens when his world is turned around by an unexpected visitor and in a weird arrival? It was just a game until a strange power surge made one of the characters in Yugi's favorite game a reality.

Out at Sea – Like Pirates of the Caribbean; Bakura's a captain of his ship, The Sennen, along with his two top mates, Marik and Yami. Bakura kidnaps Ryou in order to keep from being killed from Ryou's father, the governor of the island, and Yugi and Malik follow for their own reasons.


End file.
